What is Biodiesel? What is it Made From?

Petrol and diesel are the main fuels for vehicles, though the engines that use them differ slightly. Diesel, too, is made from crude oil. The diesel engine was invented by a scientist named Rudolf Diesel. His original intention was to build an engine that could run on vegetable oil. In fact, he had created an engine that worked on peanut oil.

In the beginning, engines ran on vegetable oil, but later Diesel discovered a way to extract diesel from crude oil and started using it in engines. Diesel contains more impurities than petrol but is comparatively cheaper. However, when petrol and diesel burn, they produce polluting gases that harm the environment.

This is why scientists searched for alternative fuels that would cause less pollution than petrol and diesel. When vegetable oils are used in place of diesel, the fuel is called biodiesel. The word bio means “related to living organisms.” Since plants are living organisms, their oils produce less pollution when burned. Mixing a small amount of vegetable oil with diesel reduces pollution.

Biodiesel can be made from oils of sunflower, soybean, cottonseed, and other plants. In biodiesel, the proportion of diesel is higher, while the share of vegetable oil is only about 15 to 20 percent. Still, it is considered a good option for reducing pollution.