Dr. Rudolph Diesel was the inventor of the ubiquitous diesel engine, way back in the 1890s. The doctor developed the project as an answer to the basic steam engines that have been around since the auto was first invented. The steam engines were inefficient and could be dangerous, and the diesel engine was lauded for its reliability as an alternative.

The diesel engine was very different to the petrol engine and the diesel worked on the basis of ignition compression. Air is drawn into the engine cylinder and when the piston rises it compresses this air, which automatically ignites, emitting the power. On the other hand, the petrol engine relies on a spark to explode the fuel mix and requires a backup system of leads, coils and pipes to work.

While the first public demonstration of what was essentially the early “bio diesel” engine occurred in 1900, it was to be the 1930s before modern biodiesel fuel was developed through the conversion of vegetable oils into fatty acid methyl esters.

Following the war period and during times of relative plenty, there was little real interest in biodiesel as an alternative. When petro diesel was readily available and quite cheap, vegetable oil based alternatives were not suitable. The vegetable oil in use had a much higher viscosity than petro diesel fuel and this led to experimentation and the development of what we now know as modern biodiesel.

Transesterification, the process of converting vegetable oils and making them available as a diesel fuel replacement was initially mooted by a Belgian inventor back in 1937, but it was not perfected until the 1980s, when complex socio-economic factors combined to draw our attention towards efficiency and energy security. The process of transesterification was successfully matched at this time, making biodiesel fuel a real alternative to those concerned about the environment.

In the 1990s, biodiesel became very acceptable in Europe, much to do with the very high prices of petro diesel. Biodiesel was first produced in 1996 in the United States and since that time has grown to be more widely available and become the subject of much speculation.

Our society as a whole has become much more aware of damage caused to our environment through industrial and automotive pollution. While this awareness has been slowly emerging, costs associated with energy production have been rising inexorably. When gas prices reached the peaks in the United States recently, consumers really became aware of sustainability and the need to become more efficient. Petro diesel costs more than regular gasoline and either method digs into the typical monthly budget cost, so alternatives that are seen to be better for the environment are becoming more popular.

The history of biodiesel seems set for an exciting chapter ahead as we focus more on energy security, environmental issues and balancing our budgets. Nowadays, homemade biodiesel is becoming a stepping stone for many as they seek to attain an element of independence and environmental stewardship. It comes down to the simple equation of whether a sustainable fuel solution can be produced at a lesser cost than the readily available alternative, and in this case, biodiesel is most definitely the answer. It’s a real solution, and a way forward.