Biodiesel blends operate in diesel engines, from light to heavy-duty, just like petroleum diesel. B20 works in any diesel engine with few or no modifications to the engine or the fuel system, and provides similar horsepower, torque and mileage as diesel. Click here for a performance fact sheet.

Biodiesel can be operated in any diesel engine with little or no modification to the engine or the fuel system. Biodiesel has a solvent effect that may release deposits accumulated on tank walls and pipes from previous diesel fuel storage. The release of deposits may clog filters initially and precautions should be taken. Ensure that only fuel meeting the biodiesel specification is used.

In fact Daimler Chrysler recently approved the use of B20, a blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% regular diesel, in its 2007 Dodge Ram trucks equipped with Cummins diesel engines. The announcement is a follow up to the company's practice of filling its diesel Jeep Liberty vehicles with B5 directly off the assembly line.

Biodiesel is better for the environment because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel. It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar. Since it is made from renewable resources such as soybeans, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy.

Biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel or blended with petroleum in any percentage. B20 (a blend of 20 percent by volume biodiesel with 80 percent by volume petroleum diesel) has demonstrated significant environmental benefits with a minimum increase in cost for fleet operations and other consumers.

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter compared to emissions from diesel fuel. In addition, the exhaust emissions of sulphur oxides and sulphates (major components of acid rain) from biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to diesel. Of the major exhaust pollutants, both unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are ozone or smog forming precursors. The use of biodiesel results in a substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are either slightly reduced or slightly increased depending on the duty cycle of the engine and testing methods used. Based on engine testing, using the most stringent emissions testing protocols required by EPA for certification of fuels or fuel additives in the US, the overall ozone forming potential of the speciated hydrocarbon emissions from biodiesel was nearly 50 percent less than that measured for diesel fuel.

When reviewing the high costs associated with other alternative fuel systems, many fleet managers have determined biodiesel is their least-cost-strategy to comply with provincial/state and federal regulations. Use of biodiesel does not require major engine modifications. That means operators keep their fleets, their spare parts inventories, their refuelling stations and their skilled mechanics. The only thing that changes is air quality.

In general, the standard storage and handling procedures used for petroleum diesel can be used for biodiesel. In fact, in its pure form or in blends, biodiesel can be stored wherever petroleum diesel is stored, except in concrete-lined tanks The fuel should be stored in a clean, dry, dark environment. Acceptable storage tank materials include aluminium, steel, fluorinated polyethylene, fluorinated polypropylene and Teflon. Copper, brass, lead, tin, and zinc should be avoided. The fuel should be stored in a clean, dry, dark environment. At higher blend levels, biodiesel may deteriorate natural rubber or polyurethane foam materials. Biodiesel also has a higher flash point, handles like diesel and is safe to transport. Users should be sure to verify compatibility with materials exposed to neat biodiesel. Click here for a Material Safety Data Sheet

The premier standard-setting organization in the United States has issued a fuel specification for biodiesel. The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) issued Specification D 6751 for all biodiesel fuel bought and sold in the U.S. in March of 2002, marking a major milestone for the biodiesel industry. Having a full standard in place helps protect consumers from poor products and reduces the cost of buying and selling biodiesel. While many adopted the provisional specification in 1999 (PS 121), those that didn't had to negotiate a specification. The final passage of D 6751 streamlines the procurement process.

Although biodiesel is still in its infancy, the marketplace is gaining a level of acceptance and growth is anticipated. The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association has released the following sales volume estimates of B100 for the Canada:

2007 - 10 - 12 million litres projected
2006 - 6 - 7 million litres projected
2005 - 5 million litres
2004 - 3.5 million litres
2001 -- 200,000 litres

A 1998 biodiesel lifecycle study, jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Agriculture, concluded biodiesel reduces net CO² emissions by 78 percent compared to petroleum diesel. This is due to biodiesel's closed carbon cycle. The CO² released into the atmosphere when biodiesel is burned is recycled by growing plants, which are later processed into fuel.

Scientific research confirms that biodiesel exhaust has a less harmful impact on human health than petroleum diesel fuel. Biodiesel emissions have decreased levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrited PAH compounds that have been identified as potential cancer causing compounds. Test results indicate PAH compounds were reduced by 75 to 85 percent, with the exception of benzo(a)anthracene, which was reduced by roughly 50 percent. Targeted nPAH compounds were also reduced dramatically with biodiesel fuel, with 2-nitrofluorene and 1-nitropyrene reduced by 90 percent, and the rest of the nPAH compounds reduced to trace levels only.