Author: Ash Ried
Source: articleage.com
What kind of difference can the use biodiesel make when it comes
to changing the world for the better? Perhaps the biggest impact
of the use of biodiesel fuel instead of just plain diesel is on
the human health and the environment.
One of the biggest differences that biodiesel make is with
regards to smog. Using biodiesel actually reduces smog. Both
unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides in diesel fuel account
for most of the particulates in air pollution. When you use
biodiesel product or homemade biodiesel there is a substantial
reduction of unburned hydrocarbons and if you are using a blend
that is right for, gas regulator, your machine. Tests that have been conducted
according to EPA regulations have shown that the hydrocarbon
exhaust emissions, gas regulator, that biodiesel are half that of that measured
for diesel fuel.
Can biodiesel make more energy? Unlike the burning of fossil
fuels, the burning biodiesel, gas regulator, fuels actually gives back more
energy to the environment that it takes. Lifecycle studies of
biodiesel production show that for every unit of fossil energy
it takes to manufacture fossil fuel, 3, gas regulator, .2 units of energy are
gained. This kind of lifecycle study examines the impact during
all phases of biodiesel production including its transportation,
production and distribution to the biodiesel fuel customer.
Can biodiesel make a difference when it comes to reducing, gas regulator, the
effects of global warming? The answer is yes. The overall
lifecycle emissions, gas regulator, of carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas)
from biodiesel are 78% lower than the overall carbon dioxide
emissions from petroleum diesel fuel!
Can biodiesel make a difference when it comes to reducing acid
rain? Once again the answer is very positive. The overall
lifecycle emissions of sulfur oxides (major components of acid
rain), gas regulator, from biodiesel are 8% lower than overall sulfur oxides
emissions from regular diesel fuel. It's a start.
Can biodiesel make a difference when it comes to waste water?
The overall, gas regulator, lifecycle production of waste water from biodiesel
production is 79.0% lower than overall production of wastewater
from diesel fuel. To put it another way, petroleum diesel makes
roughly five times as much wastewater flow than biodiesel can
make.
Can biodiesel make a difference when it comes to lung cancer and
asthma? Scientific research confirms that biodiesel exhaust is
less harmful to humans then diesel fuel exhaust because lacks
aromatic compounds. The purer the biodiesel fuel is the less
likely it is to create the cancer causing compounds polycyclic
aromatic, gas regulator,, gas regulator, hydrocarbons. Most of the poisonous compounds common to
diesel exhaust are reduced by 75 to 85 percent by using
biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel is also, gas regulator, easier on the lung because it
reduces the emission of the types of particulate matter that
cause asthma and other lung disorders by about 47 percent.
Additionally biodiesel make less, gas regulator, soot. Studies have shown that
biodiesel, gas regulator, reduces the total amount of particulate matter soot in
bus tailpipe exhaust by 83.6%. Soot is the heavy black smoke
portion of the petroleum diesel fuel exhaust that consists of
100% carbon. It has been suggested that diesel soot produces
cancer.
How can you use biodiesel to make a difference? Burning just a
2% biodiesel blend in on-road vehicle that usually takes diesel
fuel will curtail all kinds of harmful emissions. Annually this
one action has the potential to reduce poisonous carbon monoxide
emissions by more than 35 million pounds, reduce ozone forming
hydrocarbon emissions by almost 4 million pounds, reduce
hazardous diesel particulate emissions by almost 3 million
pounds and reduce acid rain-causing sulfur dioxide emissions by
more than 3 million pounds. That's a big difference!
