ARS | Publication request: Vegetable oil-based diesel fuels: Overview and current trends

Submitted to: Journal of Air and Waste Management Association
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 5, 2010
Publication Date: July 1, 2010
Citation: Knothe, G.H. 2010. Vegetable oil-based diesel fuels: Overview and current trends. Journal of Air and Waste Management Association. 20-23.

Technical Abstract: Since the energy crises of the 1970's and early 1980's, feedstocks and fuels with the potential to reduce dependence on petroleum-based energy and fuels have found increasing interest. Materials with triacylglycerols (triglycerides; esters of glycerol with fatty acids) as major components, such as vegetable oils, animal fats, used cooking oils and increasingly “alternative” feedstocks, such as algal oils, are among these feedstocks. Biodiesel, the mono-alkyl esters of vegetable oils or animal fats, is probably the best-known form of vegetable oil-derived fuel. However, vegetable oils can be transformed into other kinds of fuels or used neat for fuel and energy purposes. This article summarizes production and property features of these fuels including environmental issues.