What is biodiesel?

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel similar to conventional or fossil diesel. Biodiesel can be

produced from straight vegetable oil, animal oil/fats, tallow and waste cooking oil. The process
used to convert these oils to Biodiesel is called
transesterification. This process is described in more
detail below. The largest possible source of suitable oil
comes from oil crops such as rapeseed, palm or
soybean.

One hundred years ago, Rudolf Diesel tested vegetable
oil as fuel for his engine (Shay, 1993). With the
advent of cheap petroleum, appropriate crude oil
fractions were renewed to serve as fuel and diesel fuels
and diesel engines evolved together. In the 1930s and
1940s vegetable oils were used as diesel fuels from time
to time, but usually only in emergency situations.
Recently, because of increases in crude oil prices,
limited resources of fossil oil and environmental concerns
there has been a renewed focus on vegetable oils and
animal fats to make biodiesel fuels. Continued and
increasing use of petroleum will intensify local air
pollution and magnify the global warming problems caused by CO2 (Shay, 1993).
In a particular case, such as the emission of pollutants in the closed environments of
underground mines, biodiesel fuel has the potential to reduce the level of pollutants
and the level of potential or probable carcinogens.
What is transesterification?
A process called transesterification chemically alters organically derived oils in forming biodiesel
fuel. This process involves an alcohol (usually methanol) and a catalyst (sodium or potassium
hydroxide) which break down the fatty acids(See figure below). Oil is made up of fatty acids
connected to a glycerin molecule. Transesterfication forms biodiesel and glycerin because the
alcohol replaces the glycerin molecule in the oil. The technical definition of biodiesel is fatty acid
methyl ester, transforming one type of ester into another.


Figure A: Transesterification Process
Vegetable Oil + Alcohol = Methyl Esters + Glycerin
Technical Definition for Biodiesel (ASTM D 6751) and Biodiesel Blend:
Biodiesel, n - a fuel comprised of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from
vegetable oils or animal fats, designated B100, and meeting the requirements of ASTM D 6751.
Biodiesel Blend, n - a blend of biodiesel fuel meeting ASTM D 6751 with petroleum-based diesel
fuel, designated BXX, where XX represents the volume percentage of biodiesel fuel in the
blend.

Why biodiesel?


Biodiesel in the Philippines:
Jathropha Curcas
The seeds contain more than 30 % oil which can be
processed into Jathropha Methyl Ester
Can be planted in idle lands not suitable for other
crops
Can flower and bear fruits as early as four moths
after planting if planted by cuttings and six
months if planted by seedlings
Jatropha plantation in the Philippines: Bionas
Philippines in Ahlan Drive, Talon-Talon
Zamboanga City




Coconut Methyl Ester
Derived from coconut oil and is more appropriately known as Coco-Biodiesel
Compared with other forms of biodiesels, the medium
carbon chain of Coco-Biodiesel offers excellent
LUBRICITY, SOLVENCY, and DETERGENCY
cuts maintenance costs because of its superior
lubricating and cleaning properties.
promotes better, more efficient combustion and less
engine vibration because of its higher cetane number
and inherent oxygen content.
boosts engine power and acceleration
improves fuel economy by as much as 20%, which means you get more mileage and
big savings per liter.
Plantation: Chemrez Technologies in 65 Industria Street Bagumbayan, Quezon City
(Capacity: 60 million litres). Senbel Fine Chemicals Inc. in Muntinlupa City (Capacity:
60 million litres) and Bio Energy 8 corp. in Sasa, Davao City (Capacity: 1800
MT/month)