Bio Diesel

Bio diesel, which is fuel for diesel engines produced from vegetable oils (or, in some cases, animal fats) has great potential to contribute to Costa Rica’s national goal of carbon neutrality, as well as reduce the national energy bill for expensive imported petroleum. Biodiesel is significantly cleaner than conventional petroleum-based diesel fuel, and can be extracted from several sources that Costa Rica is in a good position to produce in large quantities.

Potential sources of biodiesel in Costa Rica include palm oil (which is a common crop in the Southern Pacific region) jatropha seeds (which are produced by a shrub that can be grown easily by small farmers), and oil produced from algae developed especially for this purpose. Recycled vegetable oil used for cooking is also successfully used as biofuel, although it is not available in sufficient quantities to serve as a large-scale source. A number of other sources of vegetable oils for biofuels are also being explored in Costa Rica.

Of the leading candidates, palm oil is a very good source for biofuels, but its production in large monoculture plantations has led many to question its environmental viability. Many experts believe that certain strains of algae, which grow quickly under carefully controlled conditions, and which need much less land for production of oil than other potential sources, constitutes the most promising option. In Costa Rica, Jatropha also has potential locally, especially because it provides an opportunity for economically strapped rural communities and is environmentally friendly compared to palm oil.

Vegetable-based oils have the additional climate benefit in that the process of plant (or algae) growth sequesters carbon from the atmosphere.

Biofuels are usually used blended with conventional petroleum-based fuel and can be used, when properly processed, in conventional diesel engines. To run on waste or recycled vegetable oil, diesel engines need to be adjusted. Although biofuels usually comprise around 10 to 20 percent of a fuel blend, much higher concentrations are feasible if sufficient quantities of biofuel exist.

Although necessary and promising, the promotion of biofuels must be a priority for the government of Costa Rica, and with the impending construction of a new petroleum refinery with financing from the Chinese government, it appears to be losing importance.