Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. Anyone who's been paying attention has heard talk about alternative fuels, including biofuels, and how alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles are good for the environment as well as the fact that they allow countries to reduce their dependence on foreign oil.
Raw vegetable oil cannot meet biodiesel fuel specifications, it is not registered with the EPA, and it is not a legal motor fuel. The conversion to more biofuel is probably inevitable. There are many political reasons why biodiesel making has captured people's attention.
The vegetable will need to be run through a biodiesel processor which converts the oil into a fuel that can be used in diesel engines. Biodiesel is defined as mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats which conform to specifications for use in diesel engines. Water can cause pitting in the pistons of diesel engines.
Diesel engines were in fact originally designed in the early 1900's to run on biodiesel made from oil seed crops and not to run on petroleum-based diesel. Biodiesel is the best greenhouse gas mitigation strategy for today.
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