Technical note: An approximate examination of the effects of esterification on the EROEI of biodiesel fuels

Heat balance calculations on esterification of plant oil to make biodiesel are performed using recently published information from a laboratory reactor. It is concluded that such energy is relatively small and that attempts to improve the EROEI of biodiesels should not focus on the esterification process. [Received: January 8, 2009; Accepted: September 25, 2009]

Keywords: biodiesel, esterification, energy return on energy invested, EROEI, biofuels, heat balance, plant oil