Testing Proves Biodiesel’s Worth

Fleets often undertake their own testing before fully implementing new technologies. In Illinois, for-hire carrier G&D Integrated conducted a months-long experiment to determine whether running on biodiesel blends would affect its 400-plus vehicle fleet. G&D Integrated started at a B11 blend and, happy with the experience, soon started using B20 in warmer months. Now it uses B20 year-round.

“What we saw was a slight increase in efficiency,” says Vince Buonassi, group manager of transportation programs at G&D Integrated. “We were able to prove empirically, through quantitative data, that there was no degradation in our fuel efficiency.”

This statement may come as a surprise given the misperception among some in the industry that biodiesel is not good for engines and can negatively impact fuel efficiency.

That’s simply not true. In fact, just the opposite. Biodiesel has positive effects on engines. Here are a few examples:

  • Cetane —The ASTM specification for biodiesel requires a minimum Cetane number of 47. That’s higher than the ASTM diesel spec of 40. Higher Cetane equals a shorter ignition time and better performance.
  • Lubricity — Removing the sulfur in diesel fuel to create ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) took the lubricity out of diesel fuel. Adding as little as 2% biodiesel — a B2 blend — can double the amount of lubricity in the fuel. This too is critical for performance. Modern diesel engines rely, in part, on fuel to aid in the lubricating process.
  • Lower carbon intensity — Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning fuel with significantly lower emissions than ULSD. That’s important for fleets with sustainability goals or that operate in jurisdictions with carbon-reduction policies, like the low-carbon fuel standard programs in California and Oregon.

Learn more about G&D Integrated testing and its experience with biodiesel by watching a short case study video at this link.