WHY USE BIODIESEL

Advantage #1: An Infinite Supply of Renewable Energy
There is a limited amount of fossil fuels on this earth. Fossil fuels are from plants made long before we were here and took just as long to produce. The debate continues whether we will run out of these fuels. Well, just in case that’s true, there is an alternate source we could be using: biodiesel. As long as the sun continues to supply plants with energy, than the production of biodiesel is endless. The energy from the sun is absorbed by plants, which transfer the solar energy into chemical energy in the form of hydrocarbons.

Many forms of renewable energy exist, such as ethanol made from grains that work in gasoline engines, producer gas made from waste wood, and vegetable oil. Photovoltaics solar panels, wind turbines, and hydropower can all be used to generate power from natural sources as well.

Advantage #2: Renewable Fuels are Carbon Neutral Plants naturally balance carbon dioxide emissions from burned renewable fuels, by separating the carbon dioxide and releasing the oxygen and carbon back into the air and ground. When vegetable oil is burned in an internal combustion engine, the carbon in the oil is turned into carbon dioxide and released into the air and then absorbed by plants. This cycle of hydrocarbons grown and carbon removed from the atmosphere allows an exact balance of carbon dioxide. The plants absorb the same amount that the oil will emit. Therefore, there is no contribution to global warming.

Advantage #3: Renewable Fuels strengthen the Economy
Currently, the renewable fuels industry only contributes 1% to the economy. But by manufacturing and distributing biodiesel, it has the potential to contribute $50 billion to the economy each year and decrease the trade deficit by at least 30%. The importing of petroleum adds considerable to the U.S. deficit each year. In 1995 alone, the deficit was $174 billion with $53 billion coming from petroleum. About 30% of money spent of petroleum goes overseas. If the U.S produced 100% of its fuel domestically, the U.S. could decrease the annual trade deficit by over $53 billion each year.