User's Guide to Biofuels
The two primary biofuels are biodiesel, a substitute for petroleum diesel, and ethanol, a substitute for gasoline. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel produced from oilseed crops or used cooking oils and unwanted animal fats. Ethanol is a renewable fuel currently distilled primarily from corn. Ethanol will soon be produced from cellulose feedstocks, such as wood waste and agricultural residues, which are abundant in Oregon.
How do I use biodiesel?
Biodiesel can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel. It can be used as a full replacement for petroleum diesel (pure biodiesel is called B100), but it is most commonly mixed at a ratio of 20% biodiesel to 80% petroleum diesel (B20) or 5% biodiesel to 95% petroleum diesel (B5).
Diesel engine manufacturers have approved the use of up to 5% biodiesel with no reservations about engine warranties, and some have approved higher levels. Many fleets use B20, and a number burn B100 with only minor modifications to the engine and fueling system. Biodiesel isn’t just for cars or trucks. It can be used as home heating oil, to power a backup generator, you name it – if you use diesel, you can use biodiesel.
Biodiesel is great for engines – many biodiesel users experience lower maintenance costs
If you plan to burn a blend of biodiesel higher than B20 in an engine older than 1994, you may want to replace the rubber seals and hoses, but otherwise no engine modifications are required. And because biodiesel dissolves sludge that has collected in diesel engines, you’ll need to clean your fuel filter several times if you start using a high blend of biodiesel.
Does biodiesel cost more?
Just as the price of diesel fluctuates, the same is true of biodiesel. It is usually more expensive, but sometimes less! Many people pay a premium for biodiesel because of environmental concerns and concerns about dependence on foreign oil. As well, many biodiesel users experience lower maintenance costs when they use biodiesel. Biodiesel is great for their engines.
Where can I purchase biodiesel?
You can fill up with biodiesel at stations all across Oregon and Washington. Visit the Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Alternative Fuels Locator.
Do I need to worry about a biodiesel or ethanol spill?
The US Navy and others are using biodiesel at the dock because it is nontoxic and rapidly biodegrades in water, making it an attractive fuel for use in marine environments. Ethanol also biodegrades quickly in water, although a small amount of gasoline or a bitter agent is added to ethanol to ensure that no one drinks it (it’s essentially a grain alcohol).
How do I use ethanol?
Any gasoline car can burn a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline (E10). There are also many vehicles out on Oregon’s roads that can burn higher ethanol blends. These so-called “flexible fuel vehicles” can burn any combination of gasoline or ethanol - from 100% unleaded gasoline to 85 percent ethanol. Visit www.e85fuel.com to find out if you own a flexible fuel vehicle. The catch is that E85 is not yet widely available to Oregon drivers, but some retailers now offer E85.
