Peoria, Ill. -- While over-the-road truckers have used biodiesel for years, many may not recognize how quickly biodiesel technology has advanced. Hoon Ge of the Meg Corp. and consultant to the National Biodiesel Board examined biodiesel and its application during a seminar at the recent Automotive Parts and Service Association of Illinois (APSA-IL) meeting.
"Either you believe in global warming or not," said Ge, who has a background in chemical engineering. Using biodiesel, usually a blend of 89 percent fuel and 10 percent or more organic oil extract, may aid in slowing global warming and helping the United States become more energy independent, he said.
Use of biodiesel has increased from a half-million gallons sold in 1999 to 500 million gallons sold in 2008, Ge said, adding that 50 percent of the U.S. production was exported to Europe. There are approximately 171 biodiesel plants in the United States as of June 2008, he added.
"It doesn't matter what the feed stock is because it's a chemical," Ge said, adding that triglyceride is oil and the catalyst is sodium hydroxide. Soy is the main feed stock in the upper Midwest, he said, pointing out that Illinois is the second-largest producer in the United States next to Iowa. Several companies are experimenting with algae, an easily renewable stock feed, he said.
"The biggest negative of biodiesel is the glycerin byproduct," Ge said, adding that trying to get rid of it once it's in an engine is the biggest problem. However, he said, the quality of biodiesel continues to increase. More than 40 percent of the samples 
taken in 2006 didn't meet specifications, he said, but in 2007, only 10 percent failed. Today more than 75 percent of U.S. biodiesel production is BQ-9000 certified, he said, urging the audience to always buy from BQ-9000-certified producers and marketers.
Using bad biodiesel can cause water to get into the engine system, creating a ripe environment for bacteria and fungus to grow, he said. "The lack of sulfur causes them to grow like mad. Once they grow, they multiply."
The bacteria use the water for oxygen and fuel for nutrients, Ge said. A fuel treatment sold at parts stores can help alleviate this problem.
Using E85 requires a different fuel system, but biodiesel doesn't require that, he said, but slight modifications can be preformed to better accommodate biodiesel. "Since bio is a solvent, it eats rubber seals up," he said, adding that he recommends Teflon seals, which are resistant to corrosion.
In 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required truck manufacturers to reduce emissions, especially particulate matter, Ge said. Those engines have a new catalyzed diesel particulate filter that eliminates most soot, metals, and other solid particles by burning them off just like a self-cleaning oven, he said.
"In a truck, you have to use fuel to do that," he said, adding that there's about a 1 percent decrease in fuel economy.
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