Transcript Biodiesel
Objectives
Describe how biodiesel may help improve public
health
Describe the benefits of biodiesel to the
environment
Explain how biodiesel may help stimulate the
economy
Describe what energy security is and how using
biodiesel can help attain it
Explain the future of biodiesel
Explain the suggested actions to support biodiesel
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Why Consider Biodiesel?
Cleaner-burning fuel
Domestically produced from renewable
resources
Promotes energy self-sufficiency
Creation of jobs in agricultural sector
Almost any diesel vehicle can use biodiesel
with little or no modification
Easiest fuel to implement due to existing
infrastructure and blending
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Figure 1: Emission reductions achieved by the use of biodiesel blends. Source: NBB.
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Advantages of Biodiesel
Energy self-sufficiency
Creation of jobs within the U.S.
Reduced exhaust emissions
Use of domestically grown crops
Growth within the U.S. agricultural sector
Special Note:
NEVER use any clean or used grease or vegetable oil that has not been processed for
biodiesel usage.
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Biodiesel Compared to
Conventional Diesel
Figure 2: Biodiesel and petro-diesel facts and figures. Source: Fueleconomy.gov.
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Biodiesel Benefits
There are many benefits of using biodiesel
to fuel vehicles:
Betterment of health and environment
Benefits to the U.S. economy
National energy security
Reduce dependence on foreign oil
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Health Benefits
Biodegradable and nontoxic
Exhaust hot as strong smelling as conventional
diesel
No threat to human health
Reduces emissions that cause respiratory
illness
In 2000, biodiesel became only alternative fuel
in U.S. to complete EPA health effects testing
under the Clean Air Act
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Did You Know?
The direct benefits from the 1990 Clean
Air Act Amendments are estimated to
reach almost $2 trillion for the year
2020, a figure that dwarfs the direct
costs of implementation ($65 billion).
Source: EPA Second Prospective Report, released April 2011.
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Environmental Benefits
Carbon-neutral
Plants remove carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere
Made from plant material
Figure 3: Clean air quality. Source: NAFTC.
GHG emissions are reduced because biodiesel releases
carbon dioxide that crops originally removed
According to EPA, biodiesel can reduce GHG
emissions
Can be used with SCR systems to reduce NOx
emissions, which lead to acid rain
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Did You Know?
Biodiesel is less toxic than table salt
and biodegrades as fast as sugar.
National Biodiesel Board, 2011
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Economic Benefits
Supports U.S. agriculture and rural
communities
According to National Biodiesel Board, the
biodiesel industry is expected to create an
additional 74,000 jobs by 2015
Will increase household income by $4 billion
Will generate nearly $7.3 billion in GDP
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Energy Security Benefits
U.S. is one of the greatest agricultural
product exporters
Increased demand for transportation
Dependency of foreign oil to meet
transportation demand
Use of existing agricultural production and
infrastructure
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U.S. Gasoline and Crude Oil Prices
Figure 4: U.S. gasoline prices versus crude oil prices. Source: EIA.
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Renewable Benefits
Renewable = can be produced and
replenished
Energy balance = ratio of energy required to
produce/distribute fuel compared to the
amount of energy released when used
Very high energy balance compared to other
fuels
3.2 units of renewable energy
Compared to diesel = 0.83 units
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Biodiesel – Today and Tomorrow
Biodiesel has
contributed to the
domestic economy
Currently roughly
52,000 jobs in
biodiesel industry
Currently 800
million gallons of
biodiesel produced
Growing consumer
popularity
Production of
biodiesel to
increase to 900
million gallons by
2015
Will support $7.3
million of GDP
Growth in fleets,
school districts
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Clean School Bus Program
Reduce children’s exposure to diesel exhaust and
the amount of air pollution created by diesel
school buses
School bus facts:
24 million children in the U.S. ride school buses daily
On average, students spend 1.5 hours on the school
bus every day
School buses travel more than 4 billion miles each year
School buses may leave their engines idling near
schools – this creates indoor and outdoor air pollution
problems
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The Future of Biodiesel
Biodiesel will continue supplementing diesel
technology
Higher blends available at fueling stations
(from B5 to B20)
Changes at the pump – production increases,
costs decrease
50/50 mixtures
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800
700
600
500
Production
400
Net Exports
300
Consumption
200
100
0
2001
-100
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Figure 5: U.S. biodiesel production, exports and consumption. Source: NAFTC.
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Suggested Actions
Recognize that biodiesel is not ethanol
Become aware of what vehicles are capable of
using biodiesel
Check for biodiesel emblem on vehicle
Become a biodiesel advocate
Check with school districts to see if cleaner
energy is used in transportation
Encourage school board members and
government officials to attend PRT workshops
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Figure 6: Diesel fuel cap. Source: NAFTC.
Figure 7: Biofuel identification. Source: NAFTC.
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Did You Know?
There are roughly 450,000 public
school buses in the United States;
390,000 are powered by diesel fuel.
Source: EPA.
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Upon completing this material, can you:
Describe how biodiesel may help improve public
health?
Describe the benefits of biodiesel to the
environment?
Explain how biodiesel may help stimulate the
economy?
Describe what energy security is and how using
biodiesel can help attain it?
Explain the future of biodiesel?
Explain the suggested actions to support biodiesel?
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Test Your Knowledge
1.
Give an example of a biodiesel vehicle that is
successfully reducing carbon emissions.
2. True or False: Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to
go through the health effects tests under the Clean Air
Act?
3. True or False: The key difference to remember about
biodiesel and ethanol is that biodiesel is meant to run
in gasoline engines, while ethanol will run in diesel
engines.
4. True or False: The majority of diesel vehicle owners
don’t realize that their car may run on biodiesel.
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