Energy Balance for Biodiesel has improved by 10%

NREL & USDA announce new findings that biodiesel provides 3.5 units of energy per unit of input - ranking biodiesel among most efficient sources of alternative energy. Improvements in biodiesel processing cited as reason for inceased efficiencies.

The National Renewable Energy Lab and the USDA announced in Orlando the findings which show that the energy balance of biodiesel has inceased from 3.2:1 to 3.5:1. These findings are a result of the first efficiency study of biodiesel performed since the calculation was last updated in 1998.

By point of reference, petroleum diesel is calculated at an energy balance of 0.83:1.

Below are the calculations made on other fuel sources (renewable and otherwise) as reported by EnergyBulletin.net reports EROEI (Energy Return on Energy Invested):

Coal- 1:1 to 10:1
Ethanol- 1.2:1
Natural Gas- 1:1 to 10:1
Hydropower- 10:1
Hydrogen- 0.5:1
Nuclear- 4:1
Oil- 1:1 to 100:1
Oil Sands- 2:1
Solar PV - 1:1 to 10:1
Wind - 3:1 to 20:1

You can read the NBB Press Release announcing this study by clicking here.

Click here for an NBB Conference Report, including an informative audio report from University of Idaho Department Head of Biological and Agricultural Engineering Jon Van Gerpen. Van Gerpen was one of the lead researchers who worked on the NREL/USDA study.