BIO-DIESEL FACTS
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"Bio-diesel is a safe, non-toxic, bio-degradable, renewable fuel that can be easily used in unmodified diesel engines, and for a variety of other fuel applications. It is not a new fuel; when Dr Rudolf Diesel developed his diesel engine in 1912, he designed it to run on peanut oil."
- Bio-diesel in British Columbia - Feasibility Study Report What is Bio-diesel? Bio-diesel is a renewable, bio-degradable and non-toxic fuel that is produced using waste cooking oils, vegetable oils, animal fats or tall oil (a by-product from pulp and paper processing). Bio-diesel is created through a process called transesterification, where the oil is reacted with an alcohol (usually methanol, although ethanol can also be used) and a catalyst (such as potassium or sodium hydroxide). This process causes the oil to separate into two parts: glycerine, and methyl esters (also known as bio-diesel). Bio-diesel may be used alone (B100) in most diesel engines, or in any percentage mixed with fossil-diesel, for example B50 or B20. The bio-diesel sold by CB-DC meets ASTM D6751-20a standards. Fuel that meets these standards has undergone extensive chemical analysis for such things as flash point, methanol, water and sediment, kinematic viscosity, sulfated ash, oxidation stability, sulfur, copper strip corrosion, cetane number, cloud point, acid number, carbon residue, total and free glycerin, phosphorus, et cetera. |
How to Use it?
Any diesel engine can use bio-diesel with little or no modification (When first used, bio-diesel can clean off engine deposits built up from using fossil-diesel, so initially, you may need to check and change your fuel filter – part of regular maintenance.), and it blends easily with regular petroleum fuel. Check with your manufacturer, or there are many vehicle-specific bio-diesel forums online. In extreme cold bio-diesel may temporarily gel, so it is recommended to use a B50 or B20 blend. Other than that, just fuel up and go!
For a detailed read and study of bio-diesel use guidelines please click here.
Benefits of CB-DC Bio-diesel
Who Uses Bio-diesel?
Our Co-op members come from a diverse background. They are farmers, teachers, scientists, computer programmers, musicians, sailors etc. Operators of any vehicle with a diesel engine can use bio-diesel, including commercial trucks, buses, marine, rail, agricultural vehicles, industrial equipment, generators, and consumer vehicles.
Since its first production on a commercial scale in Germany in 1991, global production has increased rapidly. Bio-diesel is now the fastest growing alternative fuel in Europe. In 2003, Germany, France, Austria and Italy produced over two billion litres of bio-diesel. In 2022, Germany alone consumed 2.2 million metric tons of biodiesel for transport purposes - roughly 2.5 billion litres. Many European car manufacturers, including VW and Mercedes Benz, have approved bio-diesel use for their engines. In Germany, over 19,000 jobs have been generated growing the feedstock, processing the raw materials, and marketing the resulting bio-diesel. Two German bus companies run their entire fleets on bio-diesel, and most major bus networks in France run on bio-diesel blends.
In the U.S., a blend of 20% bio-diesel with 80% fossil-diesel (referred to as B20) is quite widely used, and 15 states have passed legislation favorable to bio-diesel. In North Dakota and Minnesota, all diesel fuel is required to include 2% bio-diesel. In Washington State, the Intercity Transit Authority began using B20 bio-diesel mix in its entire fleet and moved to B40 in 2004. In 2003, there were 123 gas service stations offering bio-diesel. In 2024, there are now over 1300 stations offering biodiesel in North America. Almost all of the bio-diesel that is used in Europe and the US comes from agricultural crops grown specifically for this purpose.
Any diesel engine can use bio-diesel with little or no modification (When first used, bio-diesel can clean off engine deposits built up from using fossil-diesel, so initially, you may need to check and change your fuel filter – part of regular maintenance.), and it blends easily with regular petroleum fuel. Check with your manufacturer, or there are many vehicle-specific bio-diesel forums online. In extreme cold bio-diesel may temporarily gel, so it is recommended to use a B50 or B20 blend. Other than that, just fuel up and go!
For a detailed read and study of bio-diesel use guidelines please click here.
Benefits of CB-DC Bio-diesel
- Our renewable bio-fuel is made from waste cooking oil, so it doesn't compete with food crops
- Reduces life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Reduces particulate and other harmful diesel emissions (up to 90% reduction of toxins)
- Burns cleaner with increased lubricity and combustion, extending engine life
- Requires less energy to create than equal units of petroleum based fuels
- Is 10x less toxic than table salt and bio-degrades faster than sugar
- Supports local green initiatives and businesses
- Keeps money in the community
- Exhaust smells like french fries, not pollution!
Who Uses Bio-diesel?
Our Co-op members come from a diverse background. They are farmers, teachers, scientists, computer programmers, musicians, sailors etc. Operators of any vehicle with a diesel engine can use bio-diesel, including commercial trucks, buses, marine, rail, agricultural vehicles, industrial equipment, generators, and consumer vehicles.
Since its first production on a commercial scale in Germany in 1991, global production has increased rapidly. Bio-diesel is now the fastest growing alternative fuel in Europe. In 2003, Germany, France, Austria and Italy produced over two billion litres of bio-diesel. In 2022, Germany alone consumed 2.2 million metric tons of biodiesel for transport purposes - roughly 2.5 billion litres. Many European car manufacturers, including VW and Mercedes Benz, have approved bio-diesel use for their engines. In Germany, over 19,000 jobs have been generated growing the feedstock, processing the raw materials, and marketing the resulting bio-diesel. Two German bus companies run their entire fleets on bio-diesel, and most major bus networks in France run on bio-diesel blends.
In the U.S., a blend of 20% bio-diesel with 80% fossil-diesel (referred to as B20) is quite widely used, and 15 states have passed legislation favorable to bio-diesel. In North Dakota and Minnesota, all diesel fuel is required to include 2% bio-diesel. In Washington State, the Intercity Transit Authority began using B20 bio-diesel mix in its entire fleet and moved to B40 in 2004. In 2003, there were 123 gas service stations offering bio-diesel. In 2024, there are now over 1300 stations offering biodiesel in North America. Almost all of the bio-diesel that is used in Europe and the US comes from agricultural crops grown specifically for this purpose.
