Biodiesel Information You Should Know
Biodiesel can be confusing. There are so many alternative fuels and energy options that it can be easy to forget the details about them. Even once you learn about biodiesel you may be left with many questions that are not answered.
Typically, places trying to advocate biodiesel fuel will only state the positive attributes of biodiesel. While there are many great things about biodiesel, only telling what is great can be a disservice to you, the consumer.
You should really try an unbiased option so that you can get all the information you need to really begin using biodiesel in an effective manner. By learning about the truth and things that you may encounter with biodiesel you can ensure you experience will be a good one because you will know what to expect. Nobody likes surprises and it could turn you off to using biodiesel if you just are not told everything.
Starting to Use Biodiesel
What you may not know is that using straight biodiesel fuel is almost unheard of. Most places that sell biodiesel are selling a blended form of the fuel. There is good reason for this.
You should not just switch your vehicle form diesel to straight biodiesel. The reason is that it can cause you some operating problems. These problems are not due to biodiesel being harmful for your vehicle. They actual occur due to the purity of the fuel.
A common problem with using a too high percentage of biodiesel is that this can cause clogging of the fuel filter. As the biodiesel runs through it can cause corrosion to come off of the lines and clog the filter. By using a blended biodiesel for a while this will allow the process to go slower and the filter not to become clogged.
Another issue with biodiesel is that it contains far less sulfur then traditional fuel and so it is not as lubricating and may not flow without the use of additives.
In colder temperatures the biodiesel may gel, which will obvious cause running problems. It is smart to make sure the biodiesel is kept above certain temperatures or that you use a blended form of the fuel to prevent this from happening.
As you can see these problems are far less dramatic then the pollution and the damage that other fuels do to your vehicle. However, they are still things you should know when you are going to use biodiesel.
Biodiesel fuel is the fuel for the future. Learn more about Biodiesel today by visiting our website at: http://www.biodieselathome.net and learn how you make your own biodiesel. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Then |
Top 10 - Proven Oil Reserve Countries
Saudi Arabia - 262
Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of petroleum in the world, and plays a leading role in OPEC, which stands for The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries; an international organization made up of eleven oil producing nations.
Canada - 180
Canada's Athabasca Oil Sands Project is what puts Canada on the map in this list. Current surface mining techniques and in-situ methods to extract bitumen from the oil sands make for an overwhelmingly positive future for Canada's oil industry.
Iran - 126
Iran's economy relies heavily on oil export revenues, and as oil prices rise, Iran's economy improves. Iran is in the process of diversifying by investing some of it's oil reserves into other areas, such as petrochemicals; and is in the process of creating more favorable climates for foreign investment.
Iraq - 115
According to oil industry experts, new exploration may raise Iraq's reserves up to 300 billion barrels. This has created global foreign interest to re-establish within the country. The US, UK, France, China, Russia, and Japan all vie for major concessions complicated by unrest in the post-Saddam Hussein era.
Kuwait - 102
Though the loss has been estimated at 2% of total oil reserves, Kuwait has recovered fully from the invasion of Iraq. The KPC, or Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, has grown to become one of the ten largest oil companies in the world.
U.A.E. - 98
At one time an underdeveloped region, by 1985 the UAE had the highest per capita income in the world. The largest areas of petroleum production occur in two of the seven constituent parts of the UAE; these being Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi qualifies as a oil state in the same sense as Kuwait.
Venezuela - 77
Venezuela is the fifth largest oil exporter in the world, and a founding member of OPEC. Oil output has been hampered at times due to protest and controversy, but the country remains an active contributor to the world supply of oil.
Russia - 60
Russia has the world's largest natural gas reserves, the second largest coal reserves, and the eighth largest oil reserves. The country is the world's largest exporter of natural gas and the second largest oil exporter. Reorganization of the Russian Energy Sector has shown improvements in the industry over the last few years.
Libya - 39
Though sanctions against Libya had been removed by United States President Bush and also by The United Nations, some Libyan authorities caution foreign optimism about prospects in the country's socialist driven economy. Nonetheless, the removal of sanctions allows Libya to drive forward.
Nigeria - 35
Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa, and is a major oil supplier to both the United States and Western Europe. Proven oil reserves are expected to be expanded to 40 billion barrels by the year 2010.
About the Author
Austin Culley is the Vice President of Oil-Net.Com Inc.
http://www.oil-net.com
Fuel Additive Helps to Reduce Air Pollution
(NewsUSA) - When it comes to improving air quality, there is no single silver bullet.
Cleaner fuels, alternative energy sources, energy-efficient appliances and "green" building all will help improve air quality over time. And something as simple as a fuel additive can play a role in reducing pollution, it turns out.
According to Scottsdale, Ariz.-based EMTA Holdings Inc., an energy and fuel conservation company, independent highway tests show that its latest product, XenTx Extreme Diesel Fuel Treatment, can help reduce diesel emissions while improving mileage.
The testing, which was conducted by an independent accredited research facility in San Antonio, showed that XenTx Extreme Diesel Fuel Treatment boosted power by 3 percent while increasing lubricity by more than 40 percent. On-road tests have shown an 11 percent decrease in particulates (black smoke).
Based on current fuel costs and miles driven, truck owners could save up to $1,200 per vehicle, per year, while meeting strict new emissions standards in states such as Texas and California.
Since cars, trucks, SUVs, big-rigs, buses and off-road vehicles account for up to half of the smog-forming volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides in the air, reducing vehicular emissions remains an important part of clean air efforts. But modern diesel engines using low-sulfur fuels to reduce emissions lose lubricity, and the increased wear reduces horsepower and mileage and shortens engine life.
XenTx Extreme Diesel Fuel Treatment is designed to restore needed lubricity while reducing emissions. The result is improved mileage while meeting strict emission requirements, which is attractive to fleet managers as well as truck owners and operators.
Clark County in Nevada has signed on to use EMTA's diesel additive in all of its county-owned diesel-powered vehicles, for a total net savings of $162,000 annually, based on estimated increases in fuel economy and the current cost of diesel fuel.
XenTx products are available at most major retailers. For more information, visit www.xentx.com.
Device Brings Fuel Flexibility to Consumers
(NewsUSA) - Choice can be a wonderful thing, especially when it comes to fueling your car.
With prices rising for traditional fossil fuels, alternative fuels such as E85 - a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline - are growing in popularity and prevalence. But because most car models are still designed to operate exclusively on gasoline, consumers are faced with a dilemma: Their cars may not be able to run on what could become the next generation of fuel.
Flexible fuel vehicles, those that can run on either gasoline or ethanol, are not yet mainstream in the U.S., but Virginia-based XcelPlus has introduced a device that can be installed in ordinary cars to convert them into flexible fuel vehicles.
Most cars can be retrofitted in just about an hour or less with this technology that was developed in Brazil, according to Bill Smith, president of XcelPlus.
For years, flexible fuel vehicles have experienced enormous popularity in other parts of the world. According to an article by Ethanol Producer Magazine, flexible fuel vehicles represented 70 percent of Brazil's new car sales in 2005.
But despite the foreign popularity of this technology and its viability for use in the United States, American manufacturers have largely been slow to incorporate it into their vehicles, and the vast majority of U.S. cars still run on gasoline.
But with FlexTek, the choice is in consumers' hands or, rather, in their engines.
Developed in Brazil, FlexTek can be quickly and easily installed in about 30 minutes, according to XcelPlus. It plugs into the vehicle's existing wiring harness without cutting or splicing, and can be removed at any time, leaving the car unaltered.
FlexTek works by intercepting the signal coming from the car's computer to the fuel injectors. It extends the signal to the injectors so that enough fuel can enter the delivery system, essentially instructing it to function at a rate that allows the burning of gasoline, ethanol or a combination of the two.
For more information and to see if your car can be converted into a flexible fuel vehicle, visit www.flextek.com or call 800-472-7409.
Modernized Process Makes Ethanol a Viable Fuel Alternative
(NewsUSA) - A source of alternative fuel for your car may be sitting at the curb right outside of your home.
The concept of converting garbage into a form of usable fuel may seem like an idea too good to be true. But, due to a production technique called gasification, the conversion of waste and other materials into fuel is becoming an increasingly viable alternative to traditional fossil fuel production.
Ethanol, an alcohol-based fuel typically derived from corn, has been gaining prevalence in the United States for years. According to a report by the Earth Policy Institute, ground was broken for one new ethanol production plant every nine days between November 2005 and June 2006. Additionally, the annual growth of grain used to produce ethanol increased to 14 million tons in 2006, up from only 2 million tons in 2001.
But the rate of ethanol production may climb even more dramatically in the future. Recently, some manufacturers have honed their gasification production abilities and can now efficiently produce ethanol from a variety of materials in addition to corn, such as garbage and even low-level radioactive waste.
There are three basic types of gasification technology - steam, plasma and molten metal - all of which are used to convert various solid and liquid waste feedstocks into syngas. A Fischer Tropsch system, a type of chemical process, is then used to convert the syngas into ethanol, synthetic diesel fuel or other marketable products.
Although gasification is not a new concept, companies such as XcelPlus, a Virginia-based manufacturer of ethanol fuel and other automotive products, have modernized the manufacturing process, making it possible to convert material into ethanol at a fraction of the cost of traditional ethanol manufacturing.
According to Bill Smith, president of XcelPlus, his company's facilities will have the ability to produce in minutes the amount of ethanol fuel that previously took hours to manufacture. This level of efficiency, combined with the abundance of solid waste ripe for conversion into fuel, could have a significant impact on the world's future fuel market.
With a growing number of new vehicles that can operate on either gasoline or ethanol-based fuels, so-called "flexible fuel" cars, a world using less petroleum may be closer than you think.
For more information, visit www.xcelplus.com.
California offers rebates for alternative fuel vehicles
California, the most populous state in the United States, is offering rebates of up to US$5000 to residents who purchase alternative fuel vehicles. $1.62 million in rebates are scheduled to be granted statewide by California Center for Sustainable Energy, an independent nonprofit organization based in San Diego.
Owners of Vectrix electric motorcycles may qualify for up to $1,500 and Global Electric Motorcars owners may receive $950 and $1,300. The largest rebates will go to owners of full-sized zero-emission cars, which have not yet been approved by the state. Compressed-gas vehicles also qualify, but the agency has already awarded its budgeted allotment for this type of vehicle.
The eligible period for purchases and leases is May 24, 2007 to March 31, 2009. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. A complete list of qualifying vehicles can be seen at the California Center for Sustainable Energy's website.
The program is part of $25 million authorized in 2007 by California Assembly Bill 1811 to promote alternative fuel infrastructure and vehicles. According to the California Air Resources Board, about 25,000 dedicated alternative fuel vehicles are in use in California.
Gear Up for Earth Day With Greener Driving, Auto Care
(NewsUSA) - Motorists who want to "go green" don't have to change vehicles to help the environment; they should change a few habits, say the experts at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
Regular vehicle maintenance and better driving habits are two easy-to-implement strategies that can put you on the road to environmentally conscious car ownership. ASE, a nonprofit organization that tests and certifies automotive technicians, offers the following tips:
* Keep the engine running at peak performance. A misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent. Replace filters and fluids as recommended in the manual.
* Keep tires properly inflated and aligned. This reduces the engine's effort - and gasoline consumption.
* Have your vehicle's air conditioner serviced only by a technician certified to handle and recycle refrigerants. Older air conditioners contain ozone-depleting chemicals, which could be released into the atmosphere through improper service.
* Avoid speeding and sudden accelerations. Both habits guzzle gas. When waiting in the car, shut off the engine. Consolidate daily errands to eliminate unnecessary driving.
* Remove excess items from the vehicle. Less weight means better mileage. Don't forget to take down the rooftop luggage carrier after vacations.
* If you do your own repairs, properly dispose of engine fluids and batteries. Some repair facilities accept these items. Or call your local government for information.
Visit www.ase.com for more care car tips and for information about the benefits of using ASE-certified technicians for auto repairs and service.
ASE-certified technicians wear blue and white shoulder insignia and carry credentials listing their exact areas of certification. Their employers often display the ASE sign.