Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil could be both a first and second generation biofuel. Derived from any number of vegetables, vegetable oil can be used directly as “virgin” vegetable oil, which is a first generation biofuel, or used after it is no longer fit for cooking, which is then a second generation biofuel. On this page, we consider it as a first generation feedstock utilized in the production of biodiesel.
Disadvantages of Vegetable Oil:
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Can cause engine damage through carbon deposition due to incomplete combustion when unrefined
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Carbon emissions increase and biodiversity is damaged when old growth forests are replaced with oil palms (can produce palm oil, which is a type of edible vegetable oil)
Advantages of Vegetable Oil:
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Relatively easy to convert to biodiesel
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Widely available
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Does not require much modification when put into diesel engines
Citation I-74
Citation I-10
