For years, petroleum-based fuels have been the industry standard, primarily due to the lack of acceptable, cost-effective and reliable alternatives. However, with growing interest in sustainable energy, alternative fuels are becoming more widely adopted and readily available.
Using biodiesel in diesel-powered prime-power generator sets offers users a green fuel alternative. In addition, biodiesel offers gen-set operators a cost-effective and easily adaptable green alternative that doesn’t require the extensive investment or development that other green power technologies do. However, there are many guidelines that prime-power gen-set operators must follow to effectively use biodiesel. For example, biodiesel should not be used in standby gen-sets because of the amount of time the fuel sits idle.
Regularly testing biodiesel fuel to ensure it continues to meet specifications is recommended. Using a summer or winter blend biodiesel conditioner during the appropriate season will help to improve storage and maintain the fuel.
(The success of the biodiesel fuel industry relies heavily on biodiesel testing <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s32Ke2VzrqU>, not only at the production level but at the consumer level, where degraded fuel may cause engine failures. Of major concern to diesel and biodiesel users is the very real possibility that water has contaminated their fuel. (See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YcczdvPyAk). The potential catastrophic impact of this problem is discussed at length in this video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lh4qhXc_5s&feature=youtube_gdata.
Fleet Fuel's family of inexpensive biodiesel test kits is just a click away on the internet at:
<http://fleetbiodiesel.com/biodiesel_testing_and_supplies.html>)
