Yes, oil prices are at an all-time high and they become more and more volatile each month. Yes, people are also looking for better ways to get their cars running without having to rely on black gold AKA gasoline. So what’s the solution? Well, one promising source however is biodiesel, which has been attracting so much attention as of late. Then again, before you jump on the bandwagon like most Celtic fans, here are five things that you should know about biodiesel.

1.We Owe Something to the Man Named Rudolf Diesel

Rudolf Diesel was a visionary who thought that using vegetable oil to run cars is possible. People laughed at him of course but a hundred years later, no one would ever do that at all. Did I also mentioned that he was the one who invented the diesel engine?

2.Biodiesel is a Huge Threat to Petroleum

How huge? For starters, biodiesel is a domestic fuel and that means countries can grow plants that would produce biogas. With that being said, you can see the end of relying on petroleum from foreign countries. The downside though is that you need enough land area to cultivate these crops. Smaller countries would have a harder time producing biodiesel because there’s not much space to these biogas plants. You just can’t use precious are that is meant for planting food crops and food is definitely more important than oil.

3.It’s Made From Many Sources

When we say biodiesel, we’re actually looking at a very broad range of sources that can produce energy. The most common source right now is soy and the best thing about it is that it’s easy to cultivate, while acclimatizing very well in all kinds of climates. Also, soy is so cheap that it’s even affordable for third-world countries. Other crops and plants that can be used as sources are flax, rapeseed, mustard, sunflower, palm, hemp, jatropha, and even pennycress. Aside from that, animal fats and unused vegetable oil are also likely candidates.

4.Algae?

Yes, these green things that we end up taking for granted might be the ones that will save us in a world where energy is more than valuable. Although still in its developmental stage, algae have a huge potential to become a legitimate energy source sometime in the near future. Why? Well that’s because it can double its size and weight under the proper conditions in just one day. Aside from that, alga essentially takes in carbon dioxide while releasing lipids, which are actually a type of fat during the process. Planting algae makes everything around us greener and it will be one way of solving one of the biggest concerns in our time- global warming. The best part is, there is no need to worry about where it should be planted so there’s no need to think about wasting precious farmland. That’s because algae can grow anywhere and in fact, can even grow in outer space. So if you put everything in numbers, scientists have calculated that this energy source can produce as much as 20,000 gallons of oil every year. Not bad eh?

5.Any Diesel Auto Can Use It

Unlike other alternative energy sources, you don’t need to buy a new car or have a complete engine overhaul just to enjoy the benefits of biodiesel. Using a vehicle that runs on diesel is enough to make your ride green and ready.