Methanol and Biodiesel

Biodiesel Production
Biodiesel is a clean-burning diesel replacement fuel that is manufactured from renewable, non-petroleum-based sources such as:
 

	vegetable oils such as soy, mustard, canola, rapeseed and palm oils
	animal fats such as poultry offal, tallow, and fish oils
	used cooking oils and trap grease from restaurants

Biodiesel is made by chemically reacting these fats and oils are with an alcohol, typically methanol, to produce an ester, or biodiesel. Although most any alcohol can be used, methanol is preferred because it is relatively inexpensive and allows for the most thorough reaction process. This process is known as trans-esterification.

For each 10 volumes of biodiesel produced, one volume of methanol is used in the process.