Biodiesel is an alternative fuel produced by the transesterification of triglycerides from natural oils with an alcohol. This review discusses the basic requirements for diesel fuels and how biodiesel meets these requirements. This information is correlated to the chemistry of biodiesel production including reactants, products, and contaminants and the techno-economic tradeoffs between process variables. Finally, this review examines the ecological significance of biodiesel and how ecological, economic, and ideological considerations will affect the future of biodiesel production in the United States and Europe.
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