In a word: not much – at least not for what you get. Whether you buy it or make it yourself, the benefits of biodiesel far outweigh the biodiesel cost in so many ways. This article, examines the actual financial biodiesel cost – both biodiesel prices for those who choose to buy theirs from biodiesel production companies and for making biodiesel oneself.

How do biodiesel prices compare with other fuel costs, mile for mile?
• B100 or 100% biodiesel cost an average of 8.2 cents per mile, and gets:o 37 miles per gallon in the city; o 45 miles per gallon on the highway;
• Unleaded gasoline cost an average of 6.9 cents per mile, and gets: o 25 miles per gallon in the city; o 31 miles per gallon on the highway;
• B20 or a mixture of 80% petroleum-based diesel and 20% biodiesel cost 6.0 cents per mile, and gets: o 37 miles per gallon in the city; o 45 miles per gallon on the highway;
• Conventional, petroleum-based diesel cost an average of 5.2 cents per mile, and gets: o 38 miles per gallon in the city; o 46 miles per gallon on the highway.

The mileage one gets from using biodiesel as compared with regular, unleaded gasoline more than makes up for the slightly higher biodiesel cost, especially when you consider that biodiesel cost should only go down over time, whereas the cost of crude oil, and therefore the price of gas at the pump, is only expected to rise or, at best, settle off somewhere around current prices.

By the same token, the fact that conventional diesel fuel is the cheapest of all of them and gets the best mileage in no way discounts the cost-effectiveness of using biodiesel. Again, while gas and diesel prices are rising, biodiesel cost is expected to soften. A gallon of biodiesel cost $5 just 5 years ago. At the time of this writing biodiesel cost $3.30-$3.50 and is getting lower all the time. (You can find out the currently biodiesel cost as well as the prices for all fuels both alternative and conventional, in a regular newsletter published on the following U.S. DOE web page maintained by the Clean Cities Alternative: www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/resources/pricereport/price_report.html)
Not only that, but biodiesel also runs cleaner than its contemporaries, and cleans and lubricates engines. All of these factors contribute to prolonging engine life and reducing vehicle maintenance costs.
Biodiesel is also good for the U.S. economy. A surge in biodiesel demand, like the one we’re currently experiencing and which is only expected to continue to swell, is expected within the next 10 years to create up to 50,000 new jobs for Americans.

Over the next 5 years, U.S. farmers could see their bottom line increase by as much as $1 billion thanks to biodiesel. How, you ask? In at least two ways. First, if biodiesel takes off, feedstock prices for vegetable oils will steadily increase. The price of a bushel of soybeans, for one, is projected to rise by $0.10 per year if biodiesel overtook diesel and gasoline as our fuel of choice. Secondly, the government is currently offering incentives in the form of tax credits on the cost of biodiesel production (see our companion piece, “Government Incentives and Tax Credits for Biodiesel Production & Sale”). All this makes one thing abundantly clear – as biodiesel becomes more widely used, it will only become more and more profitable, while at the same time leading to a welcome decline in biodiesel cost as well as the biodiesel cost of production.

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that is so easy to make that you can make it in your own home. It is safe and made form common ingredients, too. However, the process, while simple, requires some equipment. You can put together your own equipment, but then you would probably only be able to make very small batches of biodiesel. If you want to be able to make larger batches which you can actually use to fuel your vehicle then you need to look into biodiesel equipment .

Biodiesel Equipment
You will need several key pieces of equipment to make biodiesel. You need a mixer compartment where the ingredients are mixed together. You may need a settling compartment where the biodiesel separates from the byproduct. Sometimes this can be done right in the mixer compartment. Finally you need a holding or storage tank for the biodiesel once it is complete.

You can buy kits or processors that come with all the parts you need, including instructions on how to use the equipment to make biodiesel. Biodiesel equipment varies in price, but you usually can find something affordable no matter what your budget may be.
Biodiesel Kits
Biodiesel equipment contains kits allow you to create a biodiesel processing system. You will usually have to put together the kit in order to use it. It will come with the pieces you need and instructions on putting the kit together and how to produce biodiesel.

Biodiesel Processor
A biodiesel processor usually comes put together. It will often include instructions on how to make biodiesel. A processor will usually come in a variety of sizes. You choose the size that will yield the amount of biodiesel you need or, if limited by space, that is the right size for your needs.

Reasons to Use a Kit or Processor
Besides being able to make larger batches of biodiesel there is another reason to buy biodiesel equipment over just using your own homemade equipment. Purchased equipment comes with built in safety features. Bought biodiesel equipment has seals and other safety features that keep fumes and hot oil from becoming a safety factor.

Additionally, using biodiesel equipment helps you ensure that the ingredients you use are safely mixed and that the whole process is done correctly. There is less room for error which could result in less than stellar biodiesel. It is highly recommended that you make biodiesel using purchased biodiesel equipment.

Recently, you may have found the ongoing popularity of water based cars to be a little overwhelming. As gas prices inch closer to four and five dollars a gallon, families are in search of technology that can help keep them from spending $200-$400 in gas a month. Even though there are water based alternative vehicle fuel on the market, they are extremely expensive and not built to be purchased by the majority of the public.

If you are trying to combat this ongoing issue, there are ways to make cars that run on water. This cannot only double your gas mileage per gallon, but also allow your vehicle to last longer without costly repairs as you rack up the miles. You just have to know where to look when searching for alternative fuel for cars.

The New Technology

It’s amazing to think that big companies like Ford, BMW, Honda, Toyota, and many other car manufacturers are trying to solve the big problem when there is something out there that can help right now. In fact, no one has a clue if 100% hybrid vehicles will ever be a feasible addition to any family because of high cost. While the testing continues, why not take matters into your own hands and start saving money on gas now?

Cars that run on water can be available to the average household simply by purchasing a hydrogen generator system. By placing only one gallon of water in a stainless steel container with an electrolyzer, it extracts HHO gas from the water and then is sent through the intake manifolds or carburetor. This action creates enough energy to run the vehicle, which in turn uses less gasoline and when it’s burned off from the vehicle simply turns back into water instead of pollution.

The Benefits Outside of Mileage

Since HHO gas is three times more powerful then regular gasoline, it’s no surprise it helps with better gas mileage. However, using this innovation has transformed the way people take care of their vehicle’s engine. Once you have a car that runs on water, it will begin to change the inside of your engine.

You will start to experience a smoother, quieter running vehicle and the carbon deposits that build up in the engine will begin to be cleaned out each time you drive anywhere. Using alternative fuel for cars also widens the torque which allows for faster acceleration. This means you won’t have to press down on the gas pedal as much as before because the vehicle will still go with less output.

What’s Next?

If you feel that saving thousands of dollars of gas will help you throughout the year, then purchasing a hydrogen generator system is definitely for you. Having an alternative vehicle fuel that runs on water will not only be beneficial to you and your family, but also to combating global warming and possibly the economy depending how you spend the money. It’s really a win-win situation for everyone.