Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a fuel that has much the same characteristics as normal diesel oil, but as opposed to diesel it is not derived from petroleum but from vegetable oils or animal fat. Generally, vegetable oils are used such as sunflower oil, soy oil, rape oil or palm oil. Used oils may be used likewise very well indeed. To produce biodiesel from these oils, they are subjected to a chemical reaction, which is called transesterification. It is a chemical reaction that makes the glycerol present in the oil to be substituted by methanol, using a lye as a catalyst.  Its result is a methyl ester. One of its examples is rape methyl ester (RME). A residue forms due to transesterification, called glycerine. This can be applied in varius ways, one can think of such things as making soap.

Biodiesel's plus-points are obvious it is biodegradable, it decreases soot-emission with +/-50%, it decreases emission of hydrocarbons and it is CO2-neutral.

In addition to these environmental plus-points, it is safe indeed (its flashpint is+/-170C) and it is easy to mix with fossil diesel.