Fuel for Thought

With the growing demand for alternative fuels, the biomass market is quickly maturing. Construction and landscape equipment manufacturers are releasing news of biodiesel-ready machines, so alternative fuel producers are popping up across the country. New sources of biofuel are being discovered at an incredible rate, and a distribution network is being built to meet the supply and demand. As the market becomes popular, professionals will need to understand their alternatives in the expanding fuel source industry.

What’s in this Stuff?

Biodiesel is a clean-burning alternative fuel usable in construction equipment, cars, buses, trucks, boats and generators — pretty much anywhere you’d find diesel at work. It provides the same horsepower and torque as petroleum-based diesel fuel and offers fuel consumption equal to that of regular diesel.

Chances are, if you asked the guy next to you what makes up biodiesel fuel, he’d answer, “soybean oil.” The fact of the matter is, biodiesel is derived from any number of sources, and some mixtures don’t include even an ounce of soybean oil. Some of the other common ingredients found in biodiesel include oils such as vegetable, canola and cotton (even fryer oil sourced from fast-food restaurants) and animal tallow.

Often you will see biodiesel used as a part of a blend in construction equipment. This type of fuel is given a designation such as B5 or B20. In the case of B20, the fuel being described is 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum-based diesel. Because your owner’s manual may be out of date with regards to the specific blends of biodiesel recommended, contact the manufacturer directly to get an update.

What’s so Great About It?

With diesel prices inching closer to the $5-a-gallon rate every day, lower fuel costs are music to equipment owner’s ears. Depending on the season, your state and the current cost of fuel, you could see valuable changes in the amount of money you’re pouring into your equipment.

Where you’ll see the biggest cost benefit of biodiesel is in your long-term maintenance program, as biodiesel often creates longer engine life overall. That said, you should be prepared for an initial increase in the number of necessary fuel filter changes. That’s because the lubricity of biodiesel gives it a solvent quality, cleaning out your fuel system. After a few fill-ups, you’ll begin to see the intervals between changes lengthen.

Among the benefits you’ll see from switching out traditional diesel fuel for biodiesel in your machines are lower emissions and a reduction in engine noise. A higher Cetane number means biodiesel burns cleaner. On many jobs — particularly those in enclosed areas — reducing emissions isn’t only the “green” thing to do; it’s the right thing to do for your employees and customers.

To give you an idea of the significance with which emissions are reduced on biodiesel-burning engines, take a peek at these stats: With a B20 blend, there is a 20 percent reduction in unburned hydrocarbon, 12 percent reduction in carbon monoxide and 12 percent reduction in particulate matter. If you use 100-percent biodiesel, those numbers jump to 67 percent, 48 percent and 47 percent, respectively.

Do I Need to Modify My Engine?

If your equipment can burn diesel, it can burn biodiesel — with no modifications whatsoever. But before usage, make sure to ask your dealer and manufacturer about alternative fuels first. Companies approve or sometimes disapprove of using biodiesel in their machines (for a myriad of reasons). Komatsu, for instance, recently provided customers with specific recommendations for using biodiesel blends from B5 to B20 on its equipment, which should be followed. Read more about them here: https://www.komatsuamerica.com/?p=news&f1=read&pageid=302.

Are There Disadvantages to Using Biodiesel?

The largest drawback to using biodiesel is availability, which varies based on which region of the country you are operating in. Finding a distributor is as easy as jumping online. Visit www.biodiesel.org and click on the Buying Biodiesel button. A map of the United States pops up and guides you through locating your nearest provider.

The most important thing to watch for is that the biodiesel you purchase is approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The ASTM is composed of fuel producers, engine equipment manufacturers and others whose job is to set standards for all fuels, including biodiesel, used in U.S. engines.

Because of the lower energy content of biodiesel, construction equipment will receive less power. However, the difference is so small, no operator would ever be able to detect a difference.

In rare cases, there may be leaks associated with biodiesel. But most seals used in contemporary injection systems are compatible with biodiesel. For equipment owners who work in cold climates, biodiesel can cause a greater number of engine-start problems as compared to petroleum-based diesel. That’s because the fuel crystallizes at a much lower temperature. However, the right mixture of ingredients can alleviate this trouble.

What’s All the Controversy About?

Many believe farmers are being lured away from food companies and toward biofuel producers by the high prices these alternative fuel manufacturers will pay for corn and soybeans. By choosing to sell their crops to biofuel producers instead of food companies, some argue, the grocery industry is suffering from fewer product and more demand, increasing food costs across the nation. The biofuel industry contends this is only one factor in the food-cost increase where rising fuel costs, the failing dollar and flooding in the Midwest contribute greatly to the problem.

The best thing to do is educate yourself on the issues and form your own opinion. After that, give it a shot. Find a producer who will work with you to get the best blend for your equipment, environment and applications. The trial and error will be worth it as you watch your maintenance and fuel costs lower and your customer and employee satisfaction rise.

Don Miksch is vice president and co-founder of Riksch BioFuels, a biodiesel producer based in Southeast Iowa. He can be reached at dmiksch@rikschbiofuels.net.