Are diesel engines now viable?

Posted by John Grindle on 9 February 2012 | 0 Comments

Tags: Are diesel engines now viable?

Let me answer that question with another question. Just how high will gas prices get this year? Predictions vary wildly, but some analyst have predicted a 4.00 per gallon price by this spring, and as high as 6.50 this summer. Its hard to imagine prices can climb that high. But the higher the price of conventional gasoline the more viable alternatives become, alternatives such as ethanol, and of course diesel.

How much biodiesel is produced in the USA?

a surprisingly large amount

2009           500 Million Gallons

2010           650 Million Gallons

2011           800 Million Gallons

2012           1    Billion  Gallons est*

How much diesel is consumed by the usa?

50 billion gallons annually.

As many economist have noted, price is driven by a number of factors not the least of which is the number

of acceptable substitutes. Biodiesel as a growing part of the United States Fuel mix will drive down the price

of diesel. I believe diesel cars are approximately on par in terms of true cost of ownership at present.

And the future of these vehicle is tied to the biodiesel market!