化石能源的枯竭與地球暖化是本世紀必然要面對的課題,因此各先進國家對新能源與替代性燃料的研發皆給予高度的重視與投入。生質能源屬再生能源,具有環境保護與能源生產的雙重效益,其中極具有潛力者為生質柴油。生質柴油為「將動、植物油脂或廢食用油之長鏈脂肪酸,於觸媒存在下,與烷基醇類經由轉酯化,所生成之直鏈烷基酯類」,一般常用的醇類為甲醇,所生成的甲基酯類,其燃燒特性與化石柴油相近,但具有生物分解性和無毒等特性,以不同比例摻配於市售化石柴油中,摻配比例在20% (B20, 80%石化柴油摻配20%生質柴油)以內,則無須對柴油引擎進行調整。綜觀目前國際趨勢與國內市場,生質柴油的產量對於現代社會鉅量的能源消耗並無決定性影響。惟台灣自產能源比例太低,加以外交處境困難,不易確保能源來源穩定,生質柴油的發展是台灣不可迴避的趨勢。本研究報告主要探討生質柴油的需求性與其特性,以及生質柴油轉酯化技術發展與利用誰廣現況,並以生質柴油對化石柴油的替代可行性及成本效益進行分析評估,冀望有助於我國產業、官方、研究、學術機構參考。
Biodiesel is a non-toxic and biodegradable renewable diesel fuel. Its challenge is the production cost and availability. Biodiesel is the mono-alkyl esters of fatty acids produced from renewable resources such as refined vegetable oil, animal fats and used cooking oil. The most common production process is the transesterification of vegetable oils and methanol. Biodiesel could be used as the sole source (B100) as a replacement for petroleum diesel or blended with petroleum diesel in ratio of less than 20% (B20, a blend of 20 percent by volume biodiesel and 80 percent by volume petroleum diesel) for use in compression ignition (diesel) engines without any modification of the original petroleum diesel engine. We are considering biodiesel as one of the biomass energy resource for use in Taiwan. This paper reviews the properties of biodiesel, current processes of transesterification, comparative cost analysis of biodiesel and petroleum diesel. The feasibility study on biodiesel for use in Taiwan is also presented.