[OFB Cafe] Bio Fuels

[Derek Broughton]

On July 18, 2008 15:40:08 Chris Olson wrote:
> From: Derek Broughton
> Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 9:10 AM
> To: An Open Discussion Forum on Just About Everything,Especially for
> Techies. Subject: Re: [OFB Cafe] Bio Fuels
>
> > However, production of bio-diesel invariably involves some
> > energy expenditure, and it doesn't burn any cleaner than regular oil
> > (though it may not produce a net greenhouse gas emission, as the "bio"
> > part is recycled carbon).
>
> Don't want to get into a big argument, but in hundreds of hours of testing
> on the dynamometer at ProFab, certifying Caterpillar and Cummins engines
> for various blends of biodiesel fuel, biodiesel most definitely does burn
> considerably cleaner than petroleum #2 diesel - in the same engine with the
> same compression ratio, same injection timing, same boost pressure.

He's not talking about running engines, he's talking about heating oil, but:

> We've 
> found that B20 reduces hydrocarbon emissions, as compared to petroleum #2,
> by an average of 30% in Cummins and Cat diesels, carbon monoxide by roughly
> 20%, and particulate matter by 15-20%.  

B20 - that's 20% biofuel, right?  Rick was talking about 3-5%!  

> There's also a considerable amount of energy expenditure to produce
> petroleum fuels, in drilling, pumping, refining and transportation.  In our
> studies the net change for B100 soy biodiesel vs #2 petroleum shows a total
> 78% reduction in CO2 emissions for the same quantity of energy produced in
> fuel, with the advantage going to biodiesel. --

Of course there are, but when you expend more than a gallon of petroleum to 
generate a gallon of biofuel - which is the case with corn-based ethanol - 
you are paying the expense of _both_ fuels.

Bio-diesel certainly can be more efficient than regular diesel, but 5% 
bio-diesel heating oil isn't going to be any more than 5% more efficient - 
and likely considerably less.
-- 
derek