Frequently asked questions

Biodiesel is the name of a green, clean-burning alternative diesel, produced from renewable resources. Pure biodiesel (also called B100) contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend.

It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, almost odourless and essentially free of sulphur and aromatics.

Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products – methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerin (a valuable byproduct usually sold to be used in soaps and other products).

Bio UK Fuels has a full IPPC licence and is a fully regulated biodiesel manufacturer.

Biodiesel is defined as mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats. Typical used cooking oil uses Rape Seed Oil which has a carbon molecule length of 32 while diesel fuel requires a carbon chain of 12 in length for use in diesel engines; the transesterification process breaks this down to the optimum length chain.

Biodiesel refers to the pure fuel before blending with diesel fuel. Biodiesel blends are denoted as, “BXX” with “XX” representing the percentage of biodiesel contained in the blend (i.e.: B20 is 20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel).

Biodiesel, and other biofuels, can be used exactly as petroleum diesel would be, which is usually used to power vehicle engines. You could also use biodiesel for heating oils, powering electricity and other generators, powering farms and manufacturing machinery, and much more.

Biodiesel is a clean-burning diesel alternative that is made from renewable and recycled resources. The fuel comes with a myriad of benefits, which include:

Made from renewable and recycled materials, unlike petroleum diesel which is made out of finite resources

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions including CO2, which makes it better for the environment and causes less pollution

The fuel can be used as normal in most diesel engines

Reduced cost of fuel thanks to the GREEN tax relief

Enhanced engine health due to the lubrication provided by the fuel, which reduces engine problems

A safer alternative that causes much less damage if spilt

Yes, biofuels are better for the environment when compared to regular petroleum diesel and other alternatives. This is because biodiesel is made from renewable resources (recycled cooking oil that would have otherwise gone to waste) and the fuel has lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to petroleum diesel.

Biofuel does produce CO2 when burned. However, direct CO2 emissions from biofuels are less than their regular counterparts. Because the product is made from recycled cooking oil, it is significantly better for the environment as it burns cleaner than petroleum diesel and reduces waste.

Biodiesel is actually good for your engine. Unlike conventional diesel, biodiesel replenishes lubricity, reducing engine problems and enhancing the life and efficiency of your motor.

Bio diesel’s natural cleaning properties will also help to clean injectors, fuel lines, pumps and tanks, meaning that the overall maintenance costs are reduced.

No. Biodiesel is the original diesel, but your engine may need to adjust to the running of pure biodiesel, particularly if it has an engine management system set for mineral diesel (petroleum diesel). The engine management system may need to adjust to this fuel by using a mixture of 50% mineral and 50% biodiesel (B50).

Petroleum diesel coats the engine in carbon deposits. The purer (more refined) biodiesel will loosen these deposits, flushing them through to the filter – which may need to be replaced after two or three tanks of biodiesel have been used. During replacement you will see a dark brown sludge of carbon collected by the filter, which will be caused by the removal of the carbon deposits, your engine will now run more effectively and with better lubrication on biodiesel.

Biodiesel can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, almost odourless, and essentially free of sulphur and aromatics.

Biodiesel currently enjoys a small tax relief (to encourage this GREEN fuel usage), which allows Bio UK Fuels to pass on to customers a saving of around 5p per litre, (about 25p per gallon). Depending on your fuel usage, this will provide significant yearly savings.

If you know your fuel usage, you can calculate your savings using biodiesel. If not, there are various fuel usage calculators available online to estimate fuel savings per use and how to lower your carbon footprint.

No! Fuel-grade biodiesel must be produced to high-quality specifications by specialised machinery, which is rigorously checked in order to ensure quality is always maintained. Raw vegetable oil cannot meet biodiesel fuel specifications, it is not a motor fuel.

Our Biodiesel is legally approved for sale and wholesale, having been produced to the highest standards using the first machine of its type in the UK, which ensures everything from the consistency of biodiesel through to its viscosity.

When changing from petroleum diesel to pure Biodiesel (B100) carbon deposits from the petroleum diesel may be flushed through the system and deposited into the filter, which is why we recommend changing your filter after 3 tanks of fuel.

Vehicles made before 1992 may have issues with rubber piping wearing, depending on the model. However, for most cars, using pure biodiesel can improve your engine’s performance and the added lubrication may protect your engine from wear and tear.

Modern Engines with engine management systems may need time to adjust the chemical composition (oxygen levels) in the fuel. To address this, we suggest gradually introducing biodiesel from 50% upwards.
Some cars in the UK state that using a Bio Fuel will invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty. We advise that caution should be used, and you should discuss this with your dealer. Although, across Europe, the same cars are using biodiesel every day.