WHAT IS BIODIESEL ?
Biodiesel (or biofuel) is the name for a variety of ester-based fuels (fatty esters) generally defined as the monoalkyl esters made from vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, canola or hemp oil, or sometimes from animal fats through a simple transesterification process. This renewable source is as efficient as petroleum diesel in powering unmodified diesel engine.
Fatty acids are readily available and renewable compounds that have been targeted by the biofuel industry. They include highly reduced, aliphatic moieties that mimic the hydrocarbon components of petroleum-derived fuels.
Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources.
Though derived from biological sources, it is a processed fuel that can be readily used in diesel-engined vehicles, which distinguishes biodiesel from the straight vegetable oils (SVO) or waste vegetable oils (WVO) used as fuels in some modified diesel vehicles.