Biodiesel is a mineral-diesel substitute, produced from vegetable oils or animal fats. In 1900, Rudolf Diesel first demonstrated his engine running on oil collected from crushed peanuts. Bio-diesel can be processed from fresh veg oil (usually Rape Seed Oil - often referred to as Pure Plant Oil) or from recycled vegetable oil (RVO) collected from restaurants.
How it’s made
Transesterification is the reaction used to produce biodiesel from vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are triglycerides, which consist of 3 fatty acids connected, via ester linkages, to a glycerine backbone. Transesterification breaks down oil into glycerine & methyl ester. The glycerine sinks to the bottom of the reaction vessel and the ester remains on top. Methyl ester is commonly referred to as biodiesel and is a direct substitute for mineral diesel.
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