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Although it is not yet widely available, biodiesel fuel use has excellent prospects in the marine world. Biodiesel is renewable fuel produced from vegetable or animal fats and oils. Biodiesel is significantly less toxic to the marine environment than petroleum derived fuel. Biodiesel.org gives a list of reasons why biodiesel fuel is especially beneficial for marine use:
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Biodiesel will not harm fish or people. Those working around running diesels using biodiesel find the exhaust fumes to be less irritating.
- Biodiesel is biodegradeable. Tests show that biodiesel is 95% degraded in a marine environment in 28 days. Regular diesel fuel has only degraded 25% to 30% in that time.
- When blended with regular diesel fuel, biodiesel speeds the degradation for spilled fuel. Tests show biodiesel blended diesel fuel degrades four times faster when it is released into the environment.
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Biodiesel can blend with or replace regular diesel fuel with no modification to existing diesel engines.
- Biodiesel is a safe alternative fuel. It has a higher flash point (200° vs. 125°) than regular diesel. It handles like diesel and is safe to transport.
- Biodiesel has higher lubricity. Biodiesel blends of 5% to 20% reduce engine wear scar.
- Emissions from engines running on biodiesel are less harmful to the environment and less irritating to those working around running engines.
Most of the modern diesel engine manufacturers have certified their engines to run on up to B5 (or 5%) biodiesel blended with regular diesel. In reality, diesel engines will run fine on higher blends, even 100% quality biodiesel fuel. The Marine Biodiesel Technical Handbook from Cytoculture Environmental Technology recommends using a 20% blend of biodiesel in marine diesel engines. The 20% blend provides a significant environmental and diesel performance benefit. The handbook noted that 100% biodiesel can degrade older rubber hoses and fittings, but the 20% blend was not enough to cause damage.
Recently Horizon Motor Yachts of the U.K. and Caterpillar Marine Diesel teamed up for a demonstration project showing the viability of biodiesel use in recreational marine applications. A 60 ft. motor yacht named “Horizon” powered by twin 1,000 hp. Cat C18 diesels was shown shown and demonstrated along the southern coast of England fueled by B30 or a 30% biodiesel blend. The purpose of the demonstration was to show current marine diesels perform fine on a higher blend of biodiesel. At the same time using the biodiesel reduces diesel emissions and dependence on oil. The tests showed that the yacht performed identically using the biodiesel blend as it did running on regular diesel fuel.
The rapid decrease in oil prices from mid 2008 until early 2009 has slowed the growth of biodiesel production. Start-up biodiesel companies have run into financial difficulty with the combination of lower energy prices and the global financial crisis. However, it is apparent that biodiesel is a viable, renewable alternative to petroleum based diesel fuel. Biodiesel makes special sense in the marine environment where its lower environmental impact will help preserve the boating environment.
Sources: Biodiesel.org, Cytoculture Environmental Technology, Yachting Magazine
Tags: alternative fuel, animal fats, biodiesel fuel, biodiesel fuel demonstration, diesel engine, diesel fuel, diesel performance, fats and oils, marine biodiesel, marine diesel engines, renewable fuel
