Oleochemicals as a fuel: Mechanical and economic feasibility

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Abstract
The status of vegetable oils as diesel fuel substitutes is currently dubious. Although it is fair to consider them as short‐term emergency fuels (or, more desirably, low proportion supplements to diesel fuels), they present mechanical problems in long‐term use that have not yet been solved. It is preferable to use these oils blended in small proportions with diesel fuels. Indirect‐injection diesel engines have had fewer problems than direct‐injection engines, whether the tests were performed with pure vegetable oil fuel or with vegetable oil/diesel fuel blends. The economic prospect for these fuels is not promising. In general, they are not and have not been economical alternatives to diesel fuel. Exceptions appear to have occurred recently in Brazil and the Philippines where low local prices for vegetable oils combined with high petroleum prices encouraged officials to use low proportion vegetable oil/diesel fuel blends. Nonetheless, current and long‐term trends in petroleum and oilseed prices indicate that these fuels will probably not be price competitive within the near future. Emergency disruption of petroleum supplies completely changes the economic situation. Vegetable oils would be worth much more as a fuel during disruptions than otherwise; thus incentives could be strong to include these oils in the fuel supply, diverting them from the food supply.

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