Commercial Use

In the Commercial Sector, there are many ways that Biodiesel fuel use can benefit your business and your fleet.

Alternative Energy

There are many benefits to using Biodiesel fuel as an alternative means to meet State and Federal guidelines. In fact using biodiesel is one of the best low cost strategies when adhering to government alternative fuel use regulations. The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 requires that certain fleets purchase alternative fuel vehicles (ATV). In 1998 however, this act was amended so that instead of acquiring ATV’s many businesses could instead gain vehicle compliance credits through the use of biodiesel. For every 450 gallons of biodiesel fuel consumed in medium and heavy-duty diesel vehicles one vehicle compliance credit is attained (this pertains to the use of B20 or higher). Further information on the EPACT regulations.

Using biodiesel is also a great way to meet government regulations surrounding exhaust emissions of air pollution and that of the new low sulfur emissions laws. By using a low blend of biodiesel in your company’s fleet, you can easily meet low sulfur exhaust levels with little or no modifications to your fleet engines. Biodiesel operates in conventional combustion-ignition engines, from light to heavy-duty, just like petroleum diesel. This allows you to keep your spare parts inventories, fueling stations, and even skilled mechanics lowering the costs of using biodiesel over other alternatives.

Extended Engine Lifetime

When diesel fuel is treated to remove the sulfur content, much of the fuels lubricity is lost. Lubricity is the primary factor in determining wear on diesel engines and engine parts. In order to best protect such large investments as trucks, tractors, and other diesel equipment precautions should be made. Recent tests performed by Stanadyne Automotive Corp., one of the top diesel fuel injection equipment manufacturers, shows that blending just one percent biodiesel into petroleum diesel can increase lubricity by up to 65 percent!

Other Considerations

When implementing a biodiesel-fueling program in a company fleet some considerations should be made.

First off, cold flow properties must be considered. In general, a 20% blend of biodiesel will increase the cold flow properties (cold filter plugging point, cloud point, pour point) of petrodiesel approximately 1 to 3 degrees Celsius. With higher blends of biodiesel, the cold flow properties increase accordingly. To deal with this slight change of fuel characteristics certain precautions can be made. Simple solutions include, blending biodiesel with No. 1 diesel, using fuel heaters on storage tanks and storing fuel in or near a building to shelter them from cold temperatures. In general, such modifications come at low costs if at all even needed.

Biodiesel contains a natural solvent that degrades many rubber formulations overtime. Because of this vehicles produced before 1993 would have to have certain fuel pump gaskets and fuel lines replaced to ensure safety. It is therefore strongly recommended that Vehicle hoses be checked after the first 6 months of operation on biodiesel. Replacement of non-compatible hoses could be required, but is not usually difficult or expensive. Blends of B20 or less tend to have little effect on even non-compatible hoses.

Biodiesel also has a solvent effect that most likely will release deposits accumulated on tank walls and pipes from previous fuel use. If you have a particularly old fuel tank, it is recommended to replace the filters often during the first few months of fuel use. In the long term, this solvent effect should thoroughly clean out your fuel tank and fuel lines, which could lead to a prolonged life of your fuel system.

Biodiesel does not require any special storage. In its pure form or in blends, biodiesel can be stored wherever petroleum diesel is stored, except in concrete-lined tanks. In general, the standard storage and handling procedures used for petroleum diesel should be used for biodiesel. For more information, see the NREL’s Biodiesel Handling and Use Guidelines.

Finally, keep in mind that more than 400 U.S. fleets already use biodiesel commercially. This includes all four branches of the military, dozens of school districts, Yellowstone National Park and several city bus systems. Biodiesel is a safe, clean, reliable fuel alternative.