FAQ’s

1. Does Soy Biodiesel really help the environment?

Answer: In comparison to fossil fuel, biodiesel delivers transport energy at a fraction of the environmental cost of fossil fuels;

1. Biodiesel is almost four times more energy efficient than fossil diesel when the entire production and combustion chain is considered.
2. Emissions of carcinogenic compounds are reduced by 94 per cent.
3. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 67 per cent. It also burns cleaner – with much lower levels of sulphur and particulate matter than fossil fuels.
4. Farming soybeans adds nitrogen to soil reducing fertiliser use, it also requires less water then conventional crops such as rice and cotton.
5. Biodiesel is non-toxic being 10 times less toxic than common table salt. Biodiesel is also highly biodegradable, breaking down at a rate similar to sugar.

2. Will it hurt my engine?

Answer: No, biodiesel lubricates moving parts more than regular diesel and helps clean diesel engines, while giving similar performance.

3. Does it cost more?

Answer: No, at current prices Biodiesel is similar or more affordable than fossil diesel.

4. Is it easy to handle?

Answer: Yes, Biodiesel is one of the safest transport fuels to use.

1. Soydiesel is safer than fossil diesel, with a higher flashpoint.
2. It is safer to transport, store and to have in your fuel tank.
3. Manufacturing is a clean process and has minimal impact on the environment.

5. What vehicles can use Biodiesel?

Answer: All diesel engines can run on biodiesel blends. Many car and engine manufacturers are adjusting their products with extended warranty and service intervals for engines run on Biodiesel or Biodiesel blends. In older engines some original rubber components may need to be upgraded for use with biodiesel.

6. Does Biodiesel have Government support?

Answer: Yes, Governments all over the world are increasingly supporting the use of biodiesel. Australia, South Africa, E.U., U.S., China and India have all strongly supported the use of biodiesel with some Governments making its use in diesel blends compulsory.

7. How does Biodiesel Production Help our Nation’s Economy?

Answer: Producing biodiesel strengthens our rural and regional areas, reduces our dependency on diesel imports and keeps more jobs in South Africa.

1. Provides significant local employment in the manufacturing sector.
2. Provides opportunities and benefits to farmers.
3. Significant impact on Balance of Payments through the
   import replacement of petroleum diesel and high protein animal feeds; and provides export opportunities for surplus animal feed.
4. Assists in securing the nation’s fuel supplies, reducing the dependency on the few supplying nations.

8. Are all types of Biodiesel the same?

Answer: Biodiesel made from soybeans is superior to most because;

1. Soy oil is available in consistently high quality.
2. Can be used in cold weather.
3. More energy efficient production-to-use cycle.
4. Soybean based biodiesel has valuable by-products.
5. Soybeans are available around the world in large volumes.

9. Are there any downsides to using biodiesel?

Answer: There can be some negative aspects to using biodiesel in isolated situations. These can usually be easily overcome.

1. Biodiesel produces a slight increase in Nitrogen Oxide emissions- Current catalytic conversion technology exists that mitigate these.
2. For extremely cold climates, below -2°C engines require a Biodiesel/ petroleum diesel blend to operate.
3. First time use of blends with more than 50% biodiesel in older diesel engines may cause engines to shed deposits left behind by fossil diesel. This can be overcome by a one off filter change. It is therefore important to introduce biodiesel just prior to a service for older vehicles.