Bio-diesel is a domestically produced, renewable fuel that can be used in unmodified diesel engines with the current fueling infrastructure. It is safe, biodegradable, and reduces serious air pollutants such as soot, particulates, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and air toxins. Performance, storage requirements, and maintenance are similar for bio-diesel blend fuels and petroleum diesel. It contains no aromatics or sulfur, has a high Cetane number (good for ignition capabilities), and is a superior lubricant. In addition, regulated fleets can earn Energy Policy Act (EPAct) credits by purchasing bio-diesel fuel.

Bio-diesel is made by chemically reacting alcohol with vegetable oils (soy), fats, or greases. It's most often used in blends of 2% (primarily for lubricity) or 20% (B20) bio-diesel. It may also be used as pure bio-diesel (B100). It is also a very good sulfur-free lubricant. B100 and bio-diesel blends are sensitive to cold weather and may require special anti-freezing precautions, as conventional #2 diesel does. Bio-diesel acts like a detergent additive, loosening and dissolving sediments in storage tanks. Because bio-diesel is a solvent, B100 may cause rubber and other components to fail in vehicles manufactured before 1994. B20 minimizes all these problems.

Presently B100 costs an additional $1.25 to $2.25 per gallon depending on purchase volume and delivering costs. Bio-diesel is taxed as a diesel fuel, so taxes are added to the purchase price. At today's prices, B20 costs 25 to 45 cents more per gallon than diesel. The cost difference is expected to shrink due to rising petroleum costs, new EPA rules requiring reduced sulfur content in diesel, and improvements in the bio-diesel industry such as building larger plants with more efficient production technology.

Until then, we only have the low volume blends of 2% or less to offer. There are many companies now offering soy in their additives. At the low percentage of inclusion, lubricity is primarily the only advantage the soy adds to the end diesel product.

I support bio-diesel as a renewable fuel source. However at the low blend levels available today, I don't feel the farmer is receiving an acceptable benefit.