Our world is struggling with a changing climate, limited reserves of fossil fuels, a rapidly growing population, failing economies, and a world-wide effort to try to find the ideal technologies for transportation. Because of an overwhelming number of drivers that is steadily increasing and the great amounts of greenhouse gasses and other toxins that are emitted by their vehicles, the world has begun a struggle to find alternative fuel technologies. There are many alternative fuel vehicle technologies available to us, and others are still being studied. However, out of the competition, biofuels have made their presence well known. But, what is also well known is the fight against biofuels because of the use of food crops and arable land. What people don't know is that there is more to biofuels than ethanol and biodiesel from corn, palm, and grape seed oil. A source of biodiesel originally discovered in the 1970s has been brought back into focus and now seems like a highly viable alternative to gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and all other petroleum-based products. Biodiesel from algae is now gaining in popularity because it is more viable than ever. |  |
 | Biodiesel by definition is "a fuel made primarily from oily plants (such as the soybean or oil palm) and to a lesser extent from other oily sources (such as waste cooking fat from restaurant deep-frying). Biodiesel, which has found greatest acceptance in Europe, is used in diesel engines and usually blended with petroleum diesel fuel in various percentages," ("Biodiesel."). |
This video explains the general process of biodiesel production as well as its present and future use in the United States. |
