Reducing Lifecycle Carbon Emissions with Biomass-based Diesel Fuels

This video is part of a series of webcasts that focuses on providing information on the role that biomass-based fuels have in helping companies work toward their lower carbon targets.

Kelsey Erickson (KE), Chevron Team Lead, Quality, provides insights on how biomass-based diesel fuels can help reduce lifecycle carbon emissions.

Incorporating biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel options into your fleets is one of the quickest and most effective ways to work toward lower carbon targets.

Q: If companies are looking to lower lifecycle carbon emissions in their fleets, what are some good options for them to evaluate?

KE: Biodiesel and renewable diesel are good fuel solutions for helping companies work toward their lifecycle carbon emissions targets. Both fuels can help reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) right away.

Biodiesel is easy to incorporate because it typically can work within your existing storage infrastructure and fleets, generally without compromising engine performance.

Biodiesel is naturally lower in sulfur, so it’s an Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) option. Renewable diesel is, as well.

Just by using these fuel solutions, your company can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions quickly.

Q: How do biodiesel and renewable diesel help reduce lifecycle carbon emissions?

KE: For fossil carbon emissions, which is the GHG gas that most people are worried about, biodiesel, when produced with renewable methanol, can provide up to 100% reduction when compared to petroleum diesel. Without renewable methanol, the fossil carbon engine emissions are still about a 94-95% reduction.

Tailpipe emissions are related to immediate and near-term air quality. Hydrocarbon emissions from the tailpipe can be reduced by up to 70% with the use of biodiesel. Combustion emissions depend on the engine duty cycle and many other factors, and approximately 70% is considered a safe maximum.

For particulate matter, we have seen reductions of around 70%, once again depending on the engine duty cycle and the type of engine.

Watch the full webcast to learn more about reducing lifecycle carbon emissions.