Caltex launches new gen diesel enhanced with biodiesel

[Robert Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Robert]

Caltex has today launched Australia's first diesel fuel enhanced with 2 percent biodiesel.

A ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services Mark Vaile was held at Caltex's Newcastle terminal to mark the start of a major expansion of Caltex's supply of biofuels...

Full Story here.

[pangit Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close pangit]

Re: Caltex launches new gen diesel enhanced with biodiesel

Well at least it's a start, but 2% biodiesel is hardly "new generation diesel"

[gwalker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwalker]

Re: Caltex launches new gen diesel enhanced with biodiesel

Caltex has today launched Australia's first diesel fuel enhanced with 2 percent biodiesel.

This is a marketing dream:
New Generation! - the uneducated consumer with think it must be significantly better; the evolution of millions spent in research and 10 years in development.

Enhanced! - yep, must be significantly better - they say so and they wear white coats.

Bio - short for bionic - the same stuff that powered the 6 million dollar man

Benefits ..the Australian environment - cleaner too than 'dirty diesel' - there'll be no more trucks beltching out black smoke now.

NOTE: Caltex couldn't have got away with 1% because nobody could imagine that only 1% could do any good, but 2%. Wow! that's a 100% improvement on 1%.

[Jacka Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jacka]

Re: Caltex launches new gen diesel enhanced with biodiesel

Your cyncial gwalker.

But I would have to agree with you about that.

Whats so BIG about 2%?

[smokey2 Member Find all posts View Profile Close smokey2]

Re: Caltex launches new gen diesel enhanced with biodiesel

2% is a little extra lubrication which these spin doctors really need.
Zip for the environment.

and how does this hold up with BMW and aqll those other manufacturers that say no to biodiesel.
Better not get a BMW diesel because with BP and Mobil both going with a % of bio then what fuel should you use?
-----Original Message-----
From: BMW Australia
Sent: 21 December, 2005 09.14
To: Forum Member
Subject: BMW & Bio Diesel

Dear Forum Member,

The BMW Group Worldwide currently do not support the use of Bio Diesel fuels in any of our vehicles at all at this stage.

It very well may be approved in the future, but currently there is insufficient test data and regulatory measures in place to assess it impact both on the vehicle and on the environment.

Thank you for your enquiry.

[pangit Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close pangit]

Re: Caltex launches new gen diesel enhanced with biodiesel

I bet you BMW in Germany don't trot out bull like that - they wouldn't get away with it. Whereas here in Oz they can, so like the other European manufacturers they don't officially support biodiesel, even though the exact same vehicles will run perfectly on it in France and Germany!

[Robert Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Robert]

Re: Caltex launches new gen diesel enhanced with biodiesel

It just so happens that the TD4 engine in my Land Rover is in fact made by BMW (so were most of the TD engines in Land Rovers of that vintage). I've been running B100 for over a year and more than 30,000kms now.
I bet BMW does not offer that story in Germany where biodiesel has been easily available at the bowser from quite some time and also where there are far more diesel models in their range.

As for Caltex - baby steps yes, but at least they are in the right direction. Remember that if the whole of Australia's diesel fuel was only 2% biodiesel, there would still be very significant total emission gains over a handful of cars running B100. I'm going out on a limb and not going to back that statement up with figures, but if anyone wants to do the maths and prove or disprove me, please do. At the end of the day, at least the biodiesel is being burned and it is offering some advantages over B0.