Renewable fuels are fuels that are replenishable. They can be produced in any climate using already developed agricultural techniques. Renewable means that something comes back after it is used. Vegetable oil is an example of a renewable fuel. When you use vegetable oil as a fuel, more crops will grow and more vegetable oil will be produced. This cycle can go on endlessly as long as there is good land on which to grow crops. As long as we take care of our land, renewable fuels will never run out.
Biodiesel has many advantages for the future of South Africa in being able to strengthen our economy and create jobs. Biodiesel is an ideal fuel for the transportation industry in our country as it can be used in any diesel engine. Everything from food at the supermarket to the computer that you are using is transport using diesel. Diesel trucks, trains and boats bring computers, hi-fi's, food, fuel, and cars from factories and farms to the shops that we depend on. Every transport method can run on biodiesel.If we were to grow our own fuel (vegetable oil) there wouldn't be price hikes every time the dollar strengthened, which directly affects our fuel price.
Bio Diesel S.A. is in the process of working with the various government and agricultural departments with regard to implementing the commercial sale of biodiesel and growing suitable plants. With the amount of unused rural land that we have available in South Africa, this is an exciting project that could help with the unemployment problem that we have and would certainly help to empower and improve the lives of the lower income groups. For this to succeed we need to ensure that one day our children can have the pleasure of driving into a service station and filling up with our own grown fuel.
