Convergence of Agriculture and Energy: III. Considerations in Biodiesel Production

Authors

  • Jon Van Gerpen University of Idaho image/svg+xml Author
  • Allan Gray Purdue University Author
  • Brent H. Shanks Iowa State University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62300/t27mk285

Keywords:

Agriculture, Energy, Biodiesel

Abstract

Concern about rising prices and unstable sources of petroleum fuels is driving the search for U.S. domestically produced, renewable transportation fuels, such as biodiesel, which is developing into a widely accepted alternative fuel. The U.S. biodiesel industry is struggling because of high prices for its feedstocks, vegetable oils, and animal fats. High feedstock prices also are affecting international biodiesel production, but requirements to lower greenhouse gas emissions continue to stimulate interest in the fuel. The authors of this new CAST Commentary explain the biodiesel production process and discuss quality requirements, characteristics of biodiesel, biodiesel economics, and energy balance.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alleman, T. L. and R. L. McCormick. 2008. Results of the 2007 B100 Quality Survey. Technical Report NREL/TP-540-42787.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado.

Alleman, T. L., R. L. McCormick, and S. Deutch. 2007. 2006 B100 Quality Survey Results: Milestone Report. Milestone Report

NREL/TP-540-41549. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado.

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). 2007. Standard specification for biodiesel fuel (B100) blend stock for distil-

late fuels. In Annual Book of ASTM Standards. American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken,

Pennsylvania.

Dale, B. E. 2007. Thinking clearly about biofuels: Ending the irrelevant ‘'net energy’ debate and developing better performance

metrics for alternative fuels. Biofuels, Bioproducts, Biorefining 1:14–17.

European Committee for Standardization. 2003. Biodiesel Standard EN14214. Brussels, Belgium.

Farrell, A. E., R. J. Plevin, B. T. Turner, A. D. Jones, M. O’Hare, and D. M. Kammen. 2006. Ethanol can contribute to energy and

environmental goals. Science 311:506–508.

Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI). 2008. U.S. Baseline Briefing Book: Projections for Agricultural and

Biofuel Markets. FAPRI-MU Report #03-08. University of Missouri, Columbia.

Sheehan, J., V. Camobreco, J. Duffield, M. Graboski, and H. Shapouri. 1998. Life Cycle Inventory of Biodiesel and Petroleum

Diesel for Use in an Urban Bus. Final Report NREL/SR-580-24089. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden,

Colorado.

U.S. Census Bureau. 2008. Fats and Oils, Production, Consumption, and Stocks–2007. M311K(07)-13,

http://www.census.gov/industry/1/m311k0712.pdf (3 October 2008)

U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). 2008. National Weekly Ag Energy Roundup, April

25, 2008, http://marketnews.usda.gov/lsmnpubs/PDF_Weekly/AgEnergy.pdf (3 October 2008)

U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE). 2008. Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center,

http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/biodiesel_production.html (3 October 2008)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). 2002. A Comprehensive Analysis of Biodiesel Impacts on Exhaust Emissions.

Draft Technical Report EPA420-P-02-001.

Van Gerpen, J. 2005. Biodiesel processing and production. Fuel Process Technol 86:1097–1107.

Downloads

Published

2008-10-05

Issue

Section

Commentaries

How to Cite

Van Gerpen, J., Gray, A., & Shanks, B. H. (2008). Convergence of Agriculture and Energy: III. Considerations in Biodiesel Production. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). https://doi.org/10.62300/t27mk285

Similar Articles

1-10 of 69

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.