UC Santa Cruz chemists have created a biodiesel production method using sodium tetramethoxyborate (NaB(OMe)4) at 40°C. The U.S. transportation sector burned through 3 million barrels of diesel daily in 2022. These diesel engines pumped out 10% of U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions that year. Biofuels make up a mere 6% of transportation energy use. The new catalytic process runs at 40°C (104°F) – cooler than a cup of coffee. Traditional biodiesel plants crank up temperatures and pressures, eating up energy and money. NaB(OMe)4 attacks fat molecules in waste oil, transforming them into biodiesel in under 60 minutes. The biodiesel simply pours … Continue reading UC Santa Cruz Develops 40°C Biodiesel Process to Convert Waste Oil into Fuel in 60 Minutes, Cutting Energy Use by 70%