Biodiesel and Bioethanol

This week in lab we learned about biodiesel and bioethanol. Biodiesel is is made using vegetable oil or animal fat. To make biodiesel you react lipids with alcohol. It is made to be used in standard diesel engines, which makes it distinct from the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel converted diesel engines. Biodiesel can be used alone, or blended with petrodiesel. It can also be used as a low carbon alternative to heating oil.


Biologically produced alcohols, most commonly ethanol, are produced by the action of microorganisms and enzymes through the fermentation of sugars or starches, or cellulose. Ethanol Fuel is the most common biofuel worldwide. Alcohol Fuels are produced by fermentation of sugars derived from the same sources as alcoholic beverages. Ethanol can be used in petrol engines as a replacement for gasoline; it can be mixed with gasoline to any percentage. Most existing car petrol engines can run on blends of up to 15% bioethanol with petroleum/gasoline.

Here is a photo of a bus that runs on biofuel:

More information can be found at the Biodiesel 101 website:
http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/biodiesel_basics/