Biofuel is a collective name for fuels made from biomass. Biodiesel is the most well-known liquid fuel for transportation.
About 80% of the biodiesel we use in the Netherlands is made from used frying fat. 12% comes from animal fat that is not suitable for human consumption. Hardly any food crops are used for our biodiesel.
Biodiesel is a sustainable alternative to fossil diesel. It is made from renewable materials. Renewable means: material that cannot be exhausted, such as fossil raw materials.
In the Netherlands we mainly use biodiesel that is made from residues, such as used frying fat. No trees are cut for our biodiesel.
In the coming decades, biodiesel will still be essential for making our transport sector more sustainable. Biodiesel is a liquid fuel with a high energy content, ideal for applications where a lot of power is required.
The inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolf Diesel, used peanut oil-based biodiesel to power the first diesel engine more than a hundred years ago. Biodiesel has good lubricating properties, which keeps the engine running smoothly.
