Let’s start at the beginning, because what exactly is biodiesel? Biodiesel is part of the collective term biofuel, which means that biodiesel is made from biomass. Biodiesel is the most well-known liquid fuel for transport. More than a hundred years ago, biodiesel was already used to run the first diesel engine. This was done by the inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolf Diesel. At that time, diesel based on peanut oil was used for the motor. Nowadays, biofuels are made from various types of vegetable or animal oils and fats, or from residues such as used cooking oil.
Biodiesel is a well-known form of fuel that has been used for a long time. Nevertheless, a frequently asked question is whether biodiesel affects the engine. Fortunately, the diesel that you fill up at the pump in Europe does not cause any problems for your car engine. It may contain up to 7 percent biodiesel. Biodiesel has good lubricating properties, which keeps the engine running smoothly. In Europe, almost all vehicles produced after the year 2000 are B7-compatible. Cars that are not suitable for B7 are older cars or old-timers. An overview of the diesel cars in Europe that are suitable for higher percentages of biodiesel can be found on the website of the German association of biofuel producers MVaK.
So it certainly doesn’t have to be harmful to run your car on biofuel. The big advantage of biofuel compared to fossil diesel is that biofuel is a renewable fuel and therefore a sustainable alternative. By driving your car on biodiesel, you drive sustainably and climate neutrally. In addition, biodiesel is extremely low in sulfur. This is also good for the environment, because fossil diesel must first be desulphurised before it can be used as a fuel.
Many passenger cars can already handle B30 mixtures. Trucks with modern engines can already run on higher blends of biodiesel. These higher mixtures are not sold at the pump, but usually to companies that have their own pump for their fleet of trucks or delivery vans, for example. Curious how this works? Read all about biodiesel in the transport sector here.
