Local Knowledge About Biodiesel Fuel-Making Equipment

To determine just how effective an alternative fuel really is, scientists consider a fuel's "energy balance." The energy balance takes account of how much energy is consumed to actually make a fuel like biodiesel. For example, let's say it takes a total of three units of energy to harvest a crop, and one more unit of energy to convert the crop into useable auto fuel, for a total of four energy units. If we were able to invest those four units of energy and produce a fuel that can do six energy units worth of work in the end, then that fuel would have a positive energy balance.