• A clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend (B20). It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications.
• Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.
• Biodiesel is a diesel replacement fuel produced from vegetable or animal fats
• Referred to as B100 in its pure form
• Can be blended with diesel at varying levels
• The most commonly used and most cost-effective form is B20, which contains 20% biodiesel
• B20does not typically require any engine modifications
• B20is mostly composed of petroleum diesel. and has comparable properties to diesel fuel
• B100 properties include:
  • High cetane number(47 to 65), which is conducive to compression ignition
  • Low sulfur
  • High lubricity
  • No aromatics

Impact on Air Quality and Energy

• Biodiesel is Environment Friendly because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel. It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar.
• B100 and biodiesel blends have been found to:
  • Decrease fuel cycle emissions of CO and PM10
  • Increase fuel cycle emissions of NOx
• Biodiesel can provide fuel cycle CO₂ reductions
• Biodiesel production is slightly less energy efficient than petroleum diesel production
• Biodiesel use displaces petroleum fuel use
• Biodiesel blends are:
  • A reasonable Petroleum displacement strategy
• In regions where Ozone level are of concern:
  • Biodiesel use would require the mitigation of NOx and HC increases

How Different from Raw Vegetable Oil
Fuel-grade biodiesel must be produced to strict industry specifications (ASTM D6751) in order to insure proper performance. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Biodiesel that meets ASTM D6751 and is legally registered with the Environmental Protection Agency is a legal motor fuel for sale and distribution.

Official Definition of Bio-Diesel : the official definition consistent with other federal and state laws and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) guidelines

Biodiesel is defined as mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats which conform to ASTM D6751 specifications for use in diesel engines. Biodiesel refers to the pure fuel before blending with diesel fuel. Biodiesel blends are denoted as, "BXX" with "XX" representing the percentage of biodiesel contained in the blend (ie: B20 is 20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel).