Drawbacks of Biodiesel Production

 Biodiesel is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable fuel that can be produced from a range of organic and renewable staples including fresh or waste vegetable oils, animal fats, and oilseed plants. Biodiesel has significantly lower emissions than petroleum-based diesel when it's burned, whether utilized in its pure form or blended with petroleum diesel. It doesn't contribute to a net rise within the level of CO2 within the Atmosphere and results in minimizing the intensity of the atmospheric phenomenon. Additionally, Biodiesel is best than diesel oil in terms of sulphur content, flash point, aromatic Content, and biodegradability. Solids and liquids biofuels are used widely for energy inception since of their large prosperity, tremendous energy, and low price. Coal and petroleum fossil energy resources or fuels take millions of years to produce biofuels in a short time with appreciable yield though both are coming from biomaterials. There are various potential raw materials for biodiesel production. 

Eg: Rapeseed and Canola, Soybean, Sunflower, Peanut, Flax, Safflower, Castor Seed, Tung, Cotton, Jojoba, Jatropha, Avocado, Microalgae

Currently, edible oils are the most resources for world biodiesel production. However, there are some drawbacks to be considered for biodiesel production.

Variation of quality in Biodiesel

Biodiesel is formed from a spread of biofuel crops. When the oil is extracted and converted to fuel using the chemical change, the result can vary within the ability to supply power. In short, not all biofuel crops are equivalent because the amount of oil may vary. The evaluation of biodiesel quality is attained through the determination of the chemical arrangement and physical properties of the fuel. In fact, some contaminants and other slight components are the main matters within the quality of biodiesel.

Not suitable for use in low temperature

A serious problem associated with the utilization of biodiesel is their low resistance to low temperatures and may be indicated by factors like cloud point, pour point, and filter plugging point at the coldness. At lower temperatures, the creation of crystal nucleation wax solids. So the temperature reduction causes the crystals to extend in size. Saturated fatty compounds have high melting points. Therefore the biodiesel made from vegetable fat and oils with considerable amounts of unsaturated fatty compounds should be lower for the cloud and pour factors values, opposite have lower oxidative stability. The biodiesel from soybean, sunflower, rapeseed, jatropha, peanut, and cotton are the simplest cold properties. While palm biodiesel features a part of the obstruction cold filter. The castor biodiesel displays good oxidative stability and good coldness characteristics, which contradicts what was observed for the opposite oilseed.

More expensive than petroleum

In recent years, the fact is that biodiesel is much costlier than other conventional fuels. Currently, it's almost 1.5 times costlier than petroleum. Using biodiesel could thus become a very expensive affair for several.

 

Food shortage

Since biofuels are made up of animal and vegetable fat, more demand for these products may raise prices for these products and make a food crisis in some countries. For an  example the assembly of biodiesel from corn may raise its demand and it'd become costlier, which can deprive poor people of getting it.

 

Increase use of fertilizer

As more crops are grown to supply biofuels, more fertilizer is employed which may have a devastating effect on the environment. The surplus use of fertilizers also can end in erosion and cause land pollution.

Water shortage

The use of water to supply more crops can put pressure on local water resources. The areas where there's water scarcity, production of crops to be utilized in the making of biofuels isn't a wise idea.

Increase in nitrogen oxide

Biodiesel has about 10% higher oxide (NOx) than other petroleum products. Oxide is one of the gases that's utilized in the formation of smog and Ozone. Once it gets dissolved in atmospheric moisture, it can cause acid precipitation. 

Written by

Didulani Nawoda Prabhamini

Undergraduate

Department of Civil and Environmental Technology

University of Sri Jayewardenepura