Most
people are familiar with the word 'diesel' as the type of gas
at the gas station that trucks use. The inventor of the diesel
engine, Rudolf Diesel, would actually be quite shocked to learn
that his engines have been used to run on diesel gasoline - he
designed his engine to run on vegetable oils, like peanut oil.
Diesel wanted his engine to run on natural and renewable sources,
specifically to address the issue that there was a virtual monopoly
on fuel sources that ran the popular steam piston engines of the
time. After his mysterious death, the diesel engine, which is
much more fuel-efficient than gasoline engines, gained popularity
for use in ships, submarines, trains and trucks, but it was adapted
to run on petroleum products. In recent years, however, with the
increasing price of petroleum fuel oil, the use of vegetable oils
and biodiesel fuels in diesel engines has gained widespread popularity
once again.
