Govt is legislating 2% biodiesel by 2011 and 5% from 2012

[Spoddy]

I just lifted this from the NRMA site:

"The NSW Government is legislating at the time of writing to require all diesel to contain 2 per cent biodiesel up to 2011 and 5 per cent from 2012 onwards."

What does this do to us TDIs where VW won't let us use biodiesel under warranty?

[mikinoz]

The NSW state government in other news are planning on replacing all DPF's on models that are imported into NSW with a straight through pipe.

How ridiculous is this, it is not in the same category as ethanol...

[Spoddy]

The NSW state government in other news are planning on replacing all DPF's on models that are imported into NSW with a straight through pipe.

Cogdoc would be impressed with that

What do you mean by the ethanol comment though?

[mikinoz]

I did not make much sense. Legislating ethanol in petrol is safer on the machinery than bio into dino-diesel engines. I know the % is small, but it will affect many things that I can see - possibly EGR in our cases...

[Spoddy]

Hi Mikinoz,

Should this thread be transferred to the fuels and lubes thread?.

There is a topic going at the moment called "Biodiesel and your new TDI"

[Transporter]

I just lifted this from the NRMA site:

"The NSW Government is legislating at the time of writing to require all diesel to contain 2 per cent biodiesel up to 2011 and 5 per cent from 2012 onwards."

What does this do to us TDIs where VW won't let us use biodiesel under warranty?

Just wait and see.

[Transporter]

The NSW state government in other news are planning on replacing all DPF's on models that are imported into NSW with a straight through pipe.

How ridiculous is this, it is not in the same category as ethanol...

So, they will probably take over the manufacturer's warranty and any car made with the DPF would have to be made without DPF just for Australia. It just doesn't make a sense. Are you sure it is not a joke?

P.S. And who would perform replacemnt of the DPF?

[Coaster]

What does this do to us TDIs where VW won't let us use biodiesel under warranty?

VW's in the US are allowed to use 5% Biodiesel. Since our Jetta's are made at the same place the US Jetta's are, I doubt there'd be any problem, except for the official ok!

There are all the other models they are made in numerous other countries for numerous other markets that might not have all its components certified.

I really don't think there's a problem, VW just want to make it easy for themselves!

[Diesel_vert]

ON a technical level, this is good news. I saw a comparison of fuel additives from TDIClub regarding lubricity on unadditized ULSD fuel. ULSD in the EU and Australia must have a maximum wear limit of 460 microns. B2 biodiesel came 1st out of 20 prodcuts - it scored 221 microns.

ON an administrative level, European Standards EN228 (petrol) and EN590 (diesel) allow a maximum of 5% ethanol and biodiesel respectively. The legislation in most EU member states dictate that fuel must meet these EN standards.

Therefore, any car sold in the EU must be able to run on a 5% mix of ethanol or biodiesel. Hence, 5% is nothing to worried about, let alone 2%.

In Australia, from 1 March 2009, the national Fuel Standard (Automotive Diesel) now allows a maximum of 5% biodiesel, inline with EN590. As a result, any diesel containing biodiesel must have a derived cetane number of 51 or above , inline with EN590.


WHEN it comes to warranties, VWAU should change their stance on B5, now that they have some certainty from the Australian government. Unless they've deliberately sabotaged engines bound for Australia from the factory.


Personally, as long as the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the EU thinks E5 and B5 is okay, then it's fine by me.

[Coaster]

Thanks for that Diesel_vert.

That's a massive reduction, 636 microns for standard diesel, 221 microns for 2% Bio-D. It's a shame they haven't got data for 5% Bio-D.

I've always thought that Bio-D would be good for the engine due to their high lubricity, and ULSD is very 'dry'.

What are the (potential) downsides to Bio-D?
Also, where can you find 5% Bio-D? Gull sells 20% Bio-D here in Perth, that's all I can find.