Canola as Alternate Source of Energy A Lecture By Mr Allah Dad Khan

2. Canola/Rapeseed
A Biodiesel Plant
Lecture By Mr. Allah Dad Khan

4. Rapeseed — An Ancient Crop
 Rapeseed is related to mustard and to other
cabbage-family crops.
 According to the Canola Council of
Canada,rapeseed has been cultivated since the
20th century B.C. Because the plant can grow
with less sunlight and at lower temperatures than
other crops, it was cultivated in Europe as early
as the 13th century A.D.

5. Canola — An Edible Variety of Rapeseed
 Canola is an edible variety of rapeseed with a low
percentage of erucic acid and low levels of
glucosinolates. It was developed by Canadian
plant breeders in the 1970s.
 This small field of canola in southern Vermont is
about ready to harvest.The word “canola” was
coined from "Canada" and from "oleo" (oil).
According to the Canola Council of Canada, the
term is no longer a trademark. “Canola” can be
applied to varieties of rapeseed with 2% or less
erucic acid and less than 30 micromoles of
glucosinolates per gram of oil-free meal.

6. Current Potential for Use as Feedstock for Biofuel
 Biodiesel made from canola or edible
rapeseed gels at a lower temperaturethan
biodiesel produced from other feedstocks, making
canola biodiesel a more suitable fuel for colder
regions. University of Idaho research showed that
canola biodiesel had a "cloud point" of 1°C and a
"pour point" of -9°C (Peterson et al., 1997).

7. Current Potential for Use as Feedstock for
Biofuel
 The cloud point is the temperature of the fuel at
which small, solid crystals can be observed as the
fuel cools. These crystals will clog vehicle filters.
The pour point refers to the lowest temperature at
which there is movement of the fuel when the
container is tipped. Because canola biodiesel has
a slightly lower cloud point and pour point than
soy biodiesel, and a much lower cloud point and
pour point than biodiesel made from animal fats,
canola biodiesel is useful in cold climates.

8. Current Potential for Use as Feedstock for
Biofuel
 Canola and rapeseed contain about 40% oil and
have a high yield of oil per acre: 127 to 160
gallons per acre, compared to 48 gallons per acre
for soybeans (Pahl, 2008, pp. 40-42).
 Canola oil is high in oleic acid, which makes it
competitive with other cooking oils, a market in
which it is well established. The oil is also a high-
grade lubricant and fuel additive; conversion to
biodiesel, therefore, is just one of its several
potential end uses.

9. Potential Yields
 Yields of oil per acre vary from about 75 gallons
per acre to about 240 gallons per acre.
 In Oregon canola trials, yields ranged from 1,900
to 4,800 pounds of seed per acre. Since canola is
about 40% oil, and since a gallon of vegetable oil
weighs about 8 pounds, this comes out to about
95 to 240 gallons of oil per acre.