Biodiesel is a non-petriluem based diesel fuel that is made by the refinement of vegetable oil. You can use it alone, or blended with conventional petrodiesel in unmodified diesel-engine vehicles. Biodiesel is distinguished from the straight vegetable oil (SVO) or waste vegetable oil (WVO), used vegetable oil (UVO), pure plant oil (PPO), as fuel sources in converted diesel vehicles.

Blends of biodiesel and conventional hydrocarbon based diesel oil are products most commonly distributed for use in diesel fuel vehicles and farm equipment. Must of the world uses a system known as the b factor to state the amount of biodiesel in any fuel mix. Fuel containing 20% biodiesel is labled B20, and of course pure biodiesel is B100. It is very common to see B99 since 1% petrodiesel is sufficiently toxic to retard mold.

Any blend such as B20 or under can be used in unmodified diesel engines. Though the maintenance schedule for your diesel engine may change. B100 fuel (which contains 100% biodiesel) will most likely require you to modify your diesel engine some to avoid maintenance problems and other issues.

The origin of biodiesel goes back way longer then what most people assume. While the technology is probably close to over 70 years old now, its just recently this technology has became more main stream as increasing fuel costs are hurting all markets.