FAQs
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What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic,
renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at
any level with petroleum diesel to create a Biodiesel blend. It can be used in
compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is
simple to use, biodegradable, non-toxic, and essentially free of sulphur and
aromatics.

Why Biodiesel?
The use of blended Biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial
reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.
The use of Biodiesel decreases the solid carbon fraction of particulate matter
(since the oxygen in Biodiesel enables more complete combustion to CO2),
reduces the sulphate fraction, while the soluble, or hydrocarbon, fraction stays the
same or is increased.

What are the benefits?
Because it is renewable and domestically produced, Biodiesel fits well to help
ensure reduced reliance on imported petroleum products with domestic
alternative fuels. While its emissions profile is lower, Biodiesel functions in the
engine the same as petroleum diesel with reduced emissions. Biodiesel can be
substituted for diesel with essentially no engine modifications, and maintains the
payload capacity and range of diesel.

Biodiesel can be operated in any diesel engine with little or no modification to the
engine or the fuel system. Biodiesel has a solvent effect which may release
deposits accumulated on tank walls and pipes from previous diesel fuel storage.
The release of deposits may clog filters initially and precautions should be taken.
Ensure that only fuel meeting the Biodiesel specification is used.

Do I need special storage facilities?
In general, the standard storage and handling procedures used for petroleum diesel can
be used for Biodiesel. The fuel should be stored in a clean, dry, dark environment.

Is Biodiesel safe?
Tests sponsored by the US Department of Agriculture confirm that Biodiesel is less toxic
than petroleum diesel and biodegrades as fast as dextrose (a test sugar). In addition,
Biodiesel has a flash point of over 150°C which makes it safer to store and handle than
petroleum diesel fuel.

Has Biodiesel been throughly tested?
Extensive USA and European tests indicate that performance, fuel mileage and
drivability with Biodiesel blends were similar to conventional diesel, but opacity levels
were reduced and exhaust odour was less offensive. No adverse durability or engine
wear problems were noted.

The Biodiesel industry also has commissioned more than 40 independent studies to
research benefits ranging from improved lubricity to biodegradability.

Is Biodiesel the same thing as raw vegatable?
No! Biodiesel is produced from any fat or oil such as tallow, soybean and canola oil,
through a refinery process called trans-esterification. This process is a reaction of the oil
with an alcohol to remove the glycerin, which is a by-product of Biodiesel production.
Fuel-grade Biodiesel must be produced to strict industry specifications (ASTM D6751) in
order to insure proper performance. Raw vegetable oil cannot meet Biodiesel fuel
specifications, it is not registered with the Department of the Environment & Heritage
(DEH), and it is not a legal motor fuel.

Is Biodiesel used as a pure fuel or is it blended with petroleum diesel?
Biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel or blended with diesel petroleum in any
percentage. In Australia, any Biodiesel must first meet the Biodiesel Standard, and
subsequent blends with mineral diesel, must meet the Diesel Standard.

How do Biodiesel emissions compare to petroleum diesel?
In the US, Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects
testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The use of Biodiesel in a conventional diesel
engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and
particulate matter compared to emissions from diesel fuel. In addition, the exhaust
emissions of sulphur oxides and sulphates (major components of acid rain) from
Biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to diesel.

Can Biodiesel help mitigate “global warming”?
A 1998 Biodiesel lifecycle study, jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and
the US Department of Agriculture, concluded Biodiesel reduces net CO2 emissions by
78 percent compared to petroleum diesel. This is due to the closed carbon cycle of
Biodiesel. The CO2 released into the atmosphere when Biodiesel is burned is recycled
by growing plants, which are later processed into fuel. Is Biodiesel safer than petroleum
diesel? Scientific research confirms that Biodiesel exhaust has a less harmful impact on
human health than petroleum diesel fuel. Biodiesel emissions have decreased levels of
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrited PAH compounds that have been
identified as potential cancer causing compounds.
Test results indicate PAH compounds were reduced by 75 to 85 percent, with the
exception of benzo(a)anthracene, which was reduced by roughly 50 percent. Targeted
nPAH compounds were also reduced dramatically with Biodiesel fuel, with
2-nitrofluorene and 1-nitropyrene reduced by 90 percent, and the rest of the nPAH
compounds reduced to only trace levels.

Who else can benefit from Biodiesel?
The reduction of our dependence on imported fuel and the introduction of a renewable
technology benefit the entire country. The range of benefits includes:
· Growth in rural economies.
· Reduced dependence on imported fuel.
· Improvement in Australia's balance of trade.
· Massive reduction in greenhouse emissions.
· Reduction of sulphur dioxide, one of the main causes of acid rain.
· Reduction of other cancer causing emissions such as benzene.

Who can answer my questions about Biodiesel?
Smorgon Fuels is more than happy to answer your questions. Call 1300 BIOMAX for
more information. Alternatively, the Biodiesel Association of Australia is also available to answer questions.
Call (02) 9746-7617 for more information.