Ethanol & Biodiesel: Two Very Different Biofuels

from Seeking Alpha (Stock Opinion & Analysis):

The substitution of alternative liquid fuels - ethanol and biodiesel - for petroleum-based gasoline and diesel fuel is a “fountain of youth” dream of clean, renewable resources replacing scarce, dirty ones. Is the dream practical? There are uncertainties because technology and the role of government subsidies and mandates will change. But there are clearly big differences between the two flavors, ethanol and biodiesel.

...None of the problems of ethanol exist for biodiesel. It can be produced from low cost, non-food feedstocks like waste grease from commercial kitchens, the waste from meat and poultry production or waste oils from fish production. It can be mixed with traditional diesel for transport in pipelines or, potentially, piped by itself. It can be substituted for petroleum-based diesel in any amount up to 100%. Plus, diesel fuel of both the bio- and petro- varieties actually produces 25% +/- more power than gasoline for the same volume. Diesel is the dominant fuel in Europe and with the recent mandate for Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel [USLD] in the U.S., diesel is likely to take substantial U.S. market share from gasoline in the coming years.

Read More>>