Biodiesel

 

The Forestry Commission first used a mix of 5% biodiesel with
95% ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) in 40 vehicles operating in
the North East of England in 2002. Since then its use has been
extended to various locations throughout Great Britain and in mid
2005 it was being used in 120 vehicles. Trials are being
conducted in Scotland with one vehicle using 100% biodiesel
and another 100% used cooking oil that has simply been filtered
to remove food particles. These vehicles had power outputs and
emissions measured periodically with favourable results. A 25%
mix (B25) is now being used in some vehicles. Citroen, whose
vehicles make up 48% of the Forestry Commission’s fleet, endorse use of up to 30% biodiesel mix. Other manufacturers are more cautious but Mechanical Engineering Services has had no problems to date and have decided that the low risk of mechanical failure attributed to the use of biodiesel is more than offset by the environmental benefit.

MES Workshops or the Forestry Business Units Sustainability Officer can provide advice on the use and supply of biodiesel. For further information please contact Jeffrey Livingston (Head of MES). 

Biodiesel is made from soybean or rapeseed oils, animal fats, or waste vegetable oils. It has a lower calorific value than diesel produced from mineral oil but it has the desirable effect of enhancing the lubricant qualities of the fuel, which compensates for the removal of harmful sulphur. The basis for biodiesel being sustainable is that vehicle exhaust emissions of co2 are balanced by the take up of co2 by the plants used in its production.