/oss/taxonomy/term/2215/all en /oss/article/science-science-everywhere/biodiesel-complications <p>One thing you can count on in science is that virtually every issue is more complicated than it first seems. Take biodiesel as an example. It can be made from virtually any plant oil by reacting it with methanol. It produces roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide as does petroleum-based diesel when it burns, but since whatever crop is used to produce the oil takes up carbon dioxide from the air through photosynthesis when it grows, there is a smaller contribution to the greenhouse effect. Plus of course, plants are a renewable source of energy while petroleum will eventually run out.</p> Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:38:01 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1550 at /oss