Biodiesel History, Bio-diesel Timeline - Reference & Resources

Biodiesel History

Contrary to what you might feel, biodiesel is not new. The process of transesterification of vegetable oil has been in vogue for over a hundred years, though the process was mainly used to derive glycerin from vegetable oils. The by-products of such a process were methyl esters, the biodiesel of today!

Even in terms of usage, biodiesel is hardly new. Rudolf Diesel used peanut oil in his original compression-ignition engine in 1898! In fact, the general feeling in the early 20^th century was that vegetable fuels (biodiesel) will be the primary fuel for diesel engines, and were used until the 1920s, when petro-diesel made its entry.

Now that we have just begun to run out of petro-fuels, the vegetable based fuels, especially biodiesel, are again coming into currency. History does repeat, doesn’t it? 

Links on Biodiesel History

• History of Biodiesel/Biofuels – from YBiofuels
• History of Biodiesel – from Pacific Biofuel
• Bioidiesel – A Brief History – from Chelsea Green (PDF)
• Biodiesel History – from Experience Festival
• A Brief History of Biodiesel Production – from Planet Fuels, UK
• Biodiesel Performance, Costs & Use
• Historical Perspectives on Vegetable-Oil based Diesel Fuels (PDF)

 Fun Facts – A question to you - What was diesel fuel called before Rudolf Diesel? Now, this will need some research before you can come up with an answer!

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About Oilgae - Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae has a focus on biodiesel production from algae while also discussing alternative energy in general. Algae present an exciting possibility as a feedstock for biodiesel, and when you realise that oil was originally formed from algae - among others - you think "Hey! Why not oil again from algae!"

To facilitate exploration of oil production from algae as well as exploration of other alternative energy avenues, Oilgae provides web links, directory, and related resources for algae-based biofuels / biodiesel along with inputs on new inventions, discoveries & breakthroughs in other alternative energy domains such as solar, wind, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, hydrogen & fuel cells, gravitational, geothemal, human-powered, ocean & wave / tidal energy.