Is it viable to replace diesel with biodiesel at Princeton?

1
Is it viable to replace diesel with biodiesel at
Princeton?
2
What uses diesel at Princeton?

• Shuttles
• Tractors
• Mowers
• Leaf Vacs
• Brush Bandit
• Trucks

3
What is diesel?

• Diesel is a petroleum based fuel that is
  non-biodegradable
• Used in vehicles such as buses, shuttles, and
  other equipment and machinery on campus

4
What is biodiesel?

• Biodiesel is a fuel composed of monoalkyl esters
  of long chains of fatty acids derived from
  vegetable oils or animal fats. Biodiesel is
  biodegradable.
• Biodiesel and Biodiesel blends can be used in the
  same equipment, machinery, buses and shuttles as
  diesel

5
What is a Biodiesel blend?

• B20 B20 is a biodiesel blend composed of 20
  biodiesel and 80 petroleum diesel fuel.
• B100 B100 is biodiesel in its pure form without
  being mixed with petroleum diesel.

6
Environmental advantages of biodiesel compared to
diesel

• The use of B20 and B100 reduce air emissions from
  vehicles
• Particulates 15 and 70
• Hydrocarbons 10 and 40
• Sulfates 20 and 100
• Carbon Monoxide 10 and 50

7
Environmental disadvantages of biodiesel compared
to diesel

• The use of B20 and B100 increase air emissions
  from vehicles
• Nitrogen oxides 2 and 9
• Nitrogen oxides can be regulated through
  technology and additives to biodiesel blends
• Construction and storage of biodiesel in
  underground tanks

8
Economic disadvantages of biodiesel compared to
diesel

• The use of biodiesel would require the
  construction of a storage tank
• Biodiesel blends are currently more expensive
  than diesel fuel
• More expensive by approximately 30 cents per
  gallon

9
Biodiesel problems

• B20 and B100 both freeze at higher temperatures
  than petrodiesel
• Biodiesel loosens deposits on gas tank walls and
  pipes potentially causing filter clogs
• Biodiesel could degrade rubber compounds
  impacting fuel hoses and pumps

10
Biodiesel solutions

• Construction of above ground storage tank perhaps
  located where the new maintenance shop was to be
  built
• Wholesale cost of biodiesel cheaper than retail
  price of diesel
• B20 is less problematic than B100 for engine and
  machinery modifications, although B100 can be
  used in most machinery built after 1994

11
Recommendations

• Perhaps a pilot project could be run testing the
  use of biodiesel (B20) in one or two pieces of
  equipment, machinery, or vehicles