F.A.Q.

WHAT IS BIODIESEL?

Biodiesel is a renewable plant-based fuel, made from renewable raw materials: either oil-bearing plants (rape, sunflower, palm, etc.) or used vegetable oil.

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IS ANY VEGETAL OIL BIODIESEL?

NO.
To be classed as biodiesel it must comply with standard EN 14214, which defines biodiesel as fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). The main reason why vegetable oils cannot be used directly as fuels in today's diesel engines is their viscosity. This is reduced by subjecting the oils to a transesterification process, in which the triglycerides in the initial blend react with alcohol to produce methyl esters and glycerine.

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WHAT HAPPENS TO THE GLYCERINE OBTAINED DURING THE PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL?

One of the by-products of biodiesel manufacture is glycerine, which has a number of commercial uses in cosmetics, explosives, soap, etc. However, given the because of the large volume produced, new uses need to be found.

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DOES BIODIESEL COST MORE THAN DIESEL?

NO.
Biodiesel is the only substitute fuel for diesel. Although production costs are higher, the sale price is the same because it is taxed less heavily than diesel and petrol. Moreover, in terms of energy harnessing, if we look at the quotient between the energy used to produce the fuel and the energy obtained from it, we see that for conventional diesel this ratio is less than one, whereas for biodiesel it is greater than one. This means that more energy can be extracted from biodiesel than is used in its manufacture.

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ARE DIFFERENT STORAGE SYSTEMS REQUIRED?

NO.
Biodiesel is no more dangerous in terms of handling and storage than conventional diesel. No special tanks or safety measures are required for storing it. It also has a higher flash point than diesel (148ºC as compared to 51ºC).

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CAN I USE BIODIESEL IN MY PRESENT CAR?

YES.
Modern engines require no technical adjustment to run on this fuel. It is, however, recommended that the first time you use biodiesel in a vehicle that has previously been running on diesel you should change the fuel filter after two complete fills. This is due to the fact that the biodiesel has a “detergent” effect and washes away the dirt left behind by the diesel. However, this minor drawback is only evident in heavy vehicles that consume large amounts of fuel.

Another issue to be taken into account is that depending on its quality, biodiesel can decompose the gaskets in the diesel pump causing important damage. However this problem only affects old cars; since 1992 these gaskets are made from synthetic materials made to take alternative fuels.

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DOES USING BIODIESEL AFFECT ENGINE PERFORMANCE?

NO.
Although the specific energy is 4% less than for diesel, the high lubricity of biodiesel makes up for this difference, and the energy efficiency of the two fuels is essentially the same. Its high lubricating capacity protects the engine, by reducing friction and noises, thus cutting maintenance costs.

 This fuel combusts better because its structure has more oxygen than diesel.

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WHAT GUARANTEES DO THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS OFFER ME?

Some manufacturers do not recommend mixtures over 5% and may even make this a prerequisite of maintaining the warranty. However, tests carried out by a number of organisations (including EVE) shows that biodiesel causes no problems besides those that might be caused by conventional diesel.

CARS
As a general rule, car manufacturers accept B5. However, an increasing number of manufacturers, such as the PSA PEUGEOT group and CITROËN now accept blends of up to 30% biodiesel (B30), provided they comply with standards EN 14214 and EN 590.
As part of its commitment for 2009, Renault wants all its diesel engines to be able to run on B30.

HEAVY VEHICLES
 In the case of heavy vehicles, to date manufacturers have accepted B5, but there is a general move to accept B30 and some manufacturers now even accept B100. SCANIA accepts B100 rape oil in Euro IV and V EGR and SCR engines. RENAULT Trucks accepts B30 in all Euro III and subsequent engines.

AGRICULTURAL VEHICLES
As for agricultural vehicles,  all tractors marketed under the brands Same, Lamborghini, Deutz-Fahr and Hürlimann equipped with Deutz engines can use biodiesel of up to 100% (according to standard EN 14214) without affecting reliability or compliance with current standards on exhaust emissions.