Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The Rising Popularity of Biodiesel Fuel by Andrew Bicknell

With the rising price of gasoline these days the idea of turning to a more affordable alternative fuel source is becoming more appealing to many people. Biodiesel fuel is an alternative fuel that many people are making right in their own backyards from renewable sources that are readily available.

Another alternative fuel that is in the news these days is ethanol. Ethanol is being sold in the U.S. and in other countries as a viable alternative to regular gasoline but if you don't have access to an ethanol station or don't have a car that has been modified to run on it then another choice is needed. Biodiesel is the perfect fuel to fill that spot because of the ease with which it can be made.

If this is your first exposure to biodiesel then a little explanation of what it is in order. Biodiesel is a fuel that is mode from vegetable oil that can be used in cars and truck with diesel engines. Depending on the manufacturer you can purchase vehicles that are made specifically to run on biodiesel fuel. You can also get biodiesel conversion kits that allow you to use this alternative fuel in diesel engines that aren't built towards the biodiesel specification and in many cases these cars and trucks will run on biodiesel without any modifications.

This relatively new fuel source can be made from a number of renewable oils such as vegetable, canola or soy. In fact waste oil from restaurants and other establishments that use vegetable oil can also be used. It does take longer to process used oil but the results are the same. The vegetable oil is run through a processor that will turn it into biodiesel fuel. These processors can be purchased as kits which can cost several thousand dollars. But when you think about how much you pay at the pump each year it's easy to see that recouping the cost of making your own fuel will take only a few years.

There is a multitude of information on the internet today about biodiesel fuel. If producing it is something you are considering then spend some time researching not the processes involved but also the different processing kits available. Many companies will ship a biodiesel fuel processing kit right to your front door, but be sure of what's involved before you lay down your money.

About the Author

Do you want to know more about biodiesel fuel and how to make it? Click here and find out all about biodiesel.

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