What are the drawbacks of biodiesel?
This question is really part of the previous question on the advantages of biodiesel. It would have been easier to discuss the two subjects at once. However… Biodiesel does have some drawbacks. None of these pose any serious impediment to a greatly expanded use of biodiesel, with one possible exception. Biodiesel is burned to produce power and the combustion process will always produce a certain level of noxious emissions. The ideal fuel source would have no harmful emissions. Biodiesel has a lower cloud point than conventional diesel fuels. One problem that all diesel fuels share is a tendency to cloud and gel at low temperatures. This is prevented through the use of fuel additives during the winter in cold climate regions (e.g., Canada). Biodiesels lower cloud point makes it somewhat inferior to conventional diesel fuels in this regard, but problems can be avoided by using a lower blend ratio (e.g., B5 instead of B20) and/or fuel additives. This problem affects any fuel stored in a
