A friend of mine called last night to let me know that a biodiesel plant had exploded. When I googled the event, New York...Florida...Seattle...had all experienced unexpected and potentially serious events. These are large sophisticated facilities that certainly are following every precaution, but when you are working with reactors and flammable materials, accidents do happen.
Often I hear that someone's friend is making biodiesel, although I admire their effort and interest in supporting environmentally friendlier fuels, my concern extends to the potential injuries that can happen. At the very least, if the fuel isn't of highest quality (and it isn't as easy as one thinks to produce good quality), it can really do a number on your engine. Is it worth it? Is it worth the possible injuries or even fatalities? Consider your biodiesel purchase your insurance policy.
Leave it to the experts! And.....not all biodiesel is the same. When purchasing biodiesel, trust a provider that is reputable and one of the larger producers in the state. That is your quality assurance! I've noticed articles recently on smaller producers that are directly collecting oil and selling it through local pump stations; your car is an investment, protect it! Do some research. Chances are that a larger producer is selling to corporate fleets and more reputable organizations, this ensures quality. You are going to be less informed of quality issues from a pump that is utilized to sell to the general public.
