Biodiesel Jetta: Am I green?

Question

We have 2004 Jetta Wagon TDI (diesel model) that acheives 40 - 45 mpg, which we fill with biodiesel. Why are there no green ratings for diesel engine cars? Biodiesel is completely petro-free ...

Answer 1

The primary problem with Diesel is the particulate matter that is emitted during the combustion. There is a significantly greater amount of particulate material emitted from Diesel engines than gasoline engines. You see the particulates especially from trucks and buses when that big cloud of black smoke that comes out as they try to accelerate. The particulate when inhaled can cause various problems similar to smoking.

Pollution comes in many forms, Just in the US (especially California) particulate emissions were one of the first to be restricted. While in European countries, they didn't restrict based purely on particulate emissions content. Green house gases are a different pollutant. And while Diesel typically generates less CO2 (which is why europeans like Diesel), it was not considered a pollutant or not as dangerous a pollutant as the particulate material from diesel. California is now reconsidering and trying to classify CO2 gas as a form of pollution too.

California air resource board says this about Diesel emissions:
Questions and Answers About Emissions from Diesel-fueled Engines
What are emissions from diesel-fueled engines?
• Emissions from diesel-fueled engines come from internal combustion engines burning diesel fuel and are
made up of a complex mixture of thousands of gases, vapors, and fine particles.
Why are emissions from diesel-fueled engines of concern to the public?
• Emissions from diesel-fueled engines are mainly composed of particulate matter and gases, which contain
potential cancer-causing substances such as arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, nickel, and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons.
• Emissions from diesel-fueled engines currently include over 40 substances that are listed by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and by the ARB as TACs.
• Particulate matter (PM) from diesel-fueled engine emissions is small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs.
• Approximately 27,000 tons of PM10 from diesel-fueled engines are emitted into California’s air each year.
What are some of the health effects of exposure to emissions from diesel-fueled engines?
• Research studies show that emissions from diesel-fueled engines may cause cancer in animals and humans.
• Studies show that workers exposed to higher levels of emissions from diesel-fueled engines are more likely to
develop lung cancer.
• In 1990, the State of California, under Proposition 65, identified diesel exhaust as a chemical known to cause
cancer. The Proposition 65 program is operated and enforced separately from the AB 1807 program.
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that diesel engine exhaust probably causes
cancer in humans.
• The U.S. EPA has proposed classifying diesel exhaust as a probable human carcinogen.
• There is also a link between emissions from diesel-fueled engines and non-cancer damage to the lung.
What happens next?
• The ARB has begun a full, open public process to evaluate the need, feasibility, and cost of control to further
reduce the public’s exposure to organic gases and particulate matter emissions from diesel-fueled engines (see
California’s Process to Reduce Health Risks Posed by Toxic Air Contaminant Emissions from Diesel-fueled
Engines fact sheet).
• The ARB has already adopted control measures which reduce particulate matter emissions from diesel-fueled
engines. As a result of these measures, the projected outdoor ambient air concentration in California of PM10
due to particulate matter emissions from diesel-fueled engines is expected to decrease 43 percent by 2010.

Answer 2

Green has little to do with the fuel you burn but is the rating for the emmissions that the car gives off. Your diesel is environmentally friendly since it is using vegetable oil fuel, but unfortunately is not emissions free.

Answer 3

Biodiesel is not everywhere because it is a new fuel so why rate it. Gasohol reaches much farther because it has been out for years. Just know from common sense that it hopefully must be better.

Answer 4

well better gas meens better emisions vedgetable oil burns cleaner than regular diesiel these "frybrids" are great smelling too.