Vegetable oil as a biofuel[]
Vegetable oil is the substance acquired when certain oilseeds, or nuts are put in a press. (corn, soybean and rapeseed/canola, peanut and olive are common.) Vegetable oil, just like petroleum, is flammable.
How can we use vegetable oil?[]
Vegetable oil is often used for cooking. However, it has properties that can make certain biofuels or replace diesel completely.
How it's used as a biofuel today[]
Some cars can now be powered on vegetable oil. The Vegginator is an example of this. Also, companies like MAN B&W Diesel, Wartsila, Deuz AG, and Elsbett manufacture motors compatible with pure vegetable oil. Low quality veggie oil is often used over high quality, being of course less expensive. Some diesel engines, like those at the time of Henry Ford, could be powered using vegetable oil. Interestingly enough, this engine would have been powered on peanut oil, had there not been the discovery of large quantities of petroleum, the price of which was lower than the peanut oil. Burning vegetable oil does not produce any pollution. Veggie oil can also be made into biodiesel and another form of fuel when cleaned of water and particulates.
Disadvantages[]
Producing and pressing the oil costs energy, and it is relatively hard to obtain low quality oil that would be cheaper per gallon than gasoline or diesel.