Biofuels as a Fast-Track to Cleaner Transport
A team at RUDN University has shown that conventional diesel engines can run on rapeseed oil, pointing to a scalable way to cut emissions without replacing the global vehicle fleet. By tapping renewable biofuels, this approach leverages existing hardware and supply chains while trimming greenhouse gases.
Because biofuels come from renewable feedstocks, they can lower life-cycle CO2 when cultivated and processed responsibly. For regions struggling to roll out charging infrastructure, a liquid, drop-in alternative offers an immediate path to cleaner miles.
The Engineering Leap Behind Plant-Based Diesel
Rapeseed oil is more viscous and less volatile than fossil diesel, which complicates fuel atomization and air–fuel mixing. Poor atomization can hurt efficiency, raise particulate formation, and challenge cold starts.
RUDN’s engineers addressed this with targeted tweaks to the injection system, optimizing blend ratios and refining the flow geometry around the valve and nozzle. Calibrations to injection timing and pressure stabilized combustion, smoothing performance and preserving torque and efficiency under real-world loads.
Environmental Upside—and Guardrails
Switching to rapeseed oil can cut well-to-wheel CO2, especially where agriculture and processing use low-carbon energy. Trials also indicate potential reductions in carbon monoxide and certain NOx profiles when combustion is properly managed and aftertreatment is maintained.
However, sustainability depends on feedstock choices. Land-use change, fertilizer intensity, and agricultural practices can erode gains. Robust certification, crop rotation, and advances in low-input cultivation are key to ensuring genuine climate benefits.
“Not Diesel Versus Electric—But Both, Faster”
“This is not a contest between diesel and electric,” notes one energy researcher. “It’s about deploying every credible tool—biofuels, batteries, efficiency—to decarbonize transport as quickly and affordably as possible.”
Where It Challenges the EV Narrative
Electric vehicles excel in urban duty cycles and benefit as grids decarbonize, but battery material sourcing, recycling complexity, and charging rollouts remain hurdles in many markets. For heavy-duty, long-haul, and remote applications, biofuel-capable ICE platforms can deliver rapid cuts with minimal operational disruption.
By enabling clean combustion in engines already on the road, rapeseed-based fuels could slow EV uptake in specific segments or regions—especially where grid capacity lags or total cost of ownership still favors retrofitted diesel.
Key Trade-offs at a Glance
- Emissions: EVs offer zero tailpipe and improving grid CO2, while sustainable biofuels lower life-cycle emissions without new drivetrain investments.
- Infrastructure: Charging needs grid upgrades; biofuels use existing fueling networks and fleets.
- Materials: Batteries require critical minerals and specialized recycling; biofuels shift pressure to land and agriculture.
- Performance: EVs lead in efficiency and urban drivability; optimized biofuel diesels excel in range, payload, and refuel speed.
- Pace of change: EVs demand new manufacturing and supply chains; biofuels decarbonize the installed base quickly.
Technical Hurdles Still to Clear
Cold-start reliability with high-viscosity fuels remains a challenge in low temperatures. Long-term durability must be proven against injector deposits, varnish, and oil dilution, while maintaining compatibility with aftertreatment systems like DPFs and SCR.
Further gains may come from fuel preheating, multi-pulse injection strategies, and advanced nozzle designs that enhance spray breakup. Blending with FAME biodiesel or hydrotreated vegetable oil could balance stability, emissions, and operability.
Policy and Market Implications
Standards that reward life-cycle carbon, not just tailpipe metrics, would recognize the real-world benefits of sustainable biofuels. Clear sustainability criteria can safeguard against indirect land-use change, while incentives for retrofit kits and certified supply chains could rapidly scale deployment.
For fleets, the economic case hinges on fuel pricing, maintenance intervals, and warranty frameworks that endorse biofuel use without penalty. In many regions, this approach could complement EV adoption rather than compete head-on.
The Bottom Line
Running diesel engines on rapeseed oil is a practical, near-term lever to cut transport emissions—one that could temper the speed of EV adoption where infrastructure, duty cycle, or cost remain barriers. If paired with rigorous sustainability and smart engineering, it transforms a legacy technology into a cleaner workhorse.
Rather than a detour, it’s a parallel lane: using every viable pathway—EVs where they’re strongest, biofuels where they’re fastest to scale—to reach net-zero sooner, not later.
