The global fuel market is one of the greatest fluctuating markets that exist today. The price of gasoline all over the United States has jumped at alarming rates. If there is a decrease in the prices, it is a painfully slow one. When a national disaster happens, you as a consumer can expect gasoline prices to increase by dollars, literally. Look at the gas prices immediately preceding Hurricane Katrina, then look at the gas prices after the storm. Oil companies have been accused of price gouging since this time and many people are taking advantage of the high gas prices to find fuel alternatives and be a little more conservative with their gas usage.
The Need for Alternatives
Alternative fuels have very many benefits when compared to that of the regular fuels most often used now. Generally, alternative fuels are better for the environment and country as a whole. Right now within the United States, more than 30 Billion gallons of gas are burned every year. Our government has finally begun to see the damage gasoline is doing to our environment and now offers tax breaks to those who use an alternative fuel.
Not only can alternatives be safer for our environment, they can also benefit our entire country and its pocketbook. Gasoline is generally created as a combination of United States efforts and the efforts of foreign countries. Alternative fuels are typically created right here in our own homeland. This means that by purchasing alternative fuels, we are literally buying American made products.
What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a form of alternative fuel that is made from vegetable oil. No, I would not suggest you use it in cooking but it creates a perfect alternative to gasoline. There is a specific process that animal fat and vegetable oil go through "transesterification" and is then turned into esterified oil. Esterified oil is then used as diesel fuel for diesel engines that are unmodified. Biodiesel can also be mixed with regular diesel fuel if desired.
What is great about this technology is that any type of animal fat or vegetable oil can be used in making biodiesel. The most common type that is used is rapeseed or soybean oil.
Why is biodiesel becoming an alternative?
Because biodiesel can be created from any type of vegetable oil, it is more readily available and made from renewable resources. Furthermore, it is better for our environment. Biodiesel produces fewer exhaust emissions and causes less harm to the environment if there is a spill. It will not harm the water supply, animals, or plants because it is non-toxic.
Another way it is environmentally safer than regular diesel is that it produces less carbon dioxide, monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Your vehicle may even get better mileage per gallon.
The Government and Biodiesel
The government is jumping on the Biodiesel bandwagon as well. The IRS is offering tax incentives to those that produce and use biodiesel fuel. The government is trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by giving producers of biodiesel fuel government funds. Many of the Washington DC big shots are supporting the use of biodiesel. They working to increase the usage of biodiesel and decrease the usage of petroleum.
The tax incentive works to help tax paying customers by lowering the cost of the fuel bill. It helps those who are exempt from taxes as well. Overall, an increase in use of biodiesel fuel would dramatically decrease the countrys dependency on foreign oil. This would place the United States in total control of fuel, create more jobs for our citizens, and create a higher level of national security overall.
