Benefits Of Biodiesel

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

The recent years have roused concerns about global warming and climatic change, instability of oil supply, increasing price of crude oil and regulations putting constraints on the use of nonrenewable energy sources. These problems have attracted the focus towards production of chemicals and fuels from renewable resources, which can be used to produce biofuels. This development can promote the local employment opportunities and reduce the CO2 emissions.(Visioli, Enzweiler, Kuhn, Schwaab, & Mazutti, 2014). Biofuels are an extensive range of fuels which are in some way sourced from biomass. ( Jin,Yao, Liu, Lee, & Ji, 2011) .

The US Standard Specification for Biodiesel (ASTM 6751) defines biodiesel as a fuel composed of

 Butanol has a lower vapor pressure, which reduces the chance of vapor lock
 Butanol is safer to handle with a Reid Value of 0.33 psi, which is a measure of a fluid's rate of evaporation when compared to gasoline at 4.5 and ethanol at 2.0 psi.
 Butanol is an alcohol that can be but does not have to be blended with fossil fuels.
 Butanol because of improved combustion efficiency when consumed in an internal combustion engine yields no SOX, NOX or carbon monoxide all environmentally harmful byproducts of combustion. CO2 is the combustion byproduct of butanol, and is considered environmentally 'green'.
 Butanol is far less corrosive than ethanol and can be shipped and distributed through existing pipelines and filling stations.
 Butanol solves the safety problems associated with the infrastructure of the hydrogen supply. Reformed butanol has four more hydrogen atoms than ethanol, resulting in a higher energy output and is used as a fuel cell fuel.
 Butanol is an industrial commodity, with 370 million gallons per year market with a selling price of $3.75 per

The cost of biofuel production depends on the capital and operational costs of the process. The operational costs (e.g. feedstock, chemicals, labor, maintenance, insurances, and taxes) represent about one third of the total cost per liter of fuel, the share of capital costs is about one-sixth of the total cost per liter. There may be fluctuations in the costs of the chosen raw materials, process techniques, and the scale, capacity and location of the plant. Social, ethical and environmental issues should also be scrutinized in addition to the monetary aspects such as cost reduction, increase of purchasing power, higher tax revenues, and retention and generation of jobs. (Niemisto et al.,