You were probably shocked when we had the record breaking fuel prices both on gasoline and diesel in July 2008. What was more shocking was that at one point, diesel prices become more expensive than gasoline. What happened next was completely unexpected. After a couple of months, fuel prices began to drop steeply. Speculator say that prices will reach as high as $200 per barrel but now, it is at $40 to $60 per barrel.
Still, the government took action by releasing funding on exploration of alternative forms of energy and gave incentives on those who produce crops that will be converted into fuel. While the government had been active in its campaign to become energy independent since time immemorial, it was just recently when crude prices were up, that the government had seriously taken it as a priority.
But is biodiesel the answer to unstable diesel fuel prices?
Originally, the diesel engine was designed to run on vegetable oil. But since petroleum diesel was cheaper then, vegetable oil was simply not an economical choice. But now, pump prices have driven farmers to convert their lands into biodiesel plantations. On one hand, the production of alternative...