Brazil Blends Diesel and Vegi Oil

Brazil’s national oil company, Petrobras, has developed a process for blending vegetable oil with diesel as an alternative fuel source.

From Netscape:
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil’s state oil company Petrobras said on Friday it would introduce a pioneering low-sulphur diesel producing technology involving vegetable oils at two refineries by 2008.

Petroleo Brasileiro SA Supplies Director Paulo Roberto Costa told a news conference the so-called H-Bio technology will combine diesel fractions from distillation, cracking and retarded coking with soy oil and hydrogen as raw materials to churn out high-quality diesel with mineral fuel qualities.

“It’s a groundbreaking technology and we’ve asked for patents. Vegetable oil substitutes diesel fractions and adds value ... It’s a revolution for Brazil, and I’m sure it’s going to spread in the world from here,” Costa said.