Biodiesel, a methyl ester, is an alternative to diesel that is made from a triglyceride (like vegetable oil) and either ethanol
or methanol. The oil used in the process can come from many sources including soybeans, corn, canola, and used frying
oil. Because it comes from renewable resource, it is referred to as a biofuel. The process involves taking the oil, a
triglyceride, combining it with an alcohol, to form biodiesel, which is either an ethyl ester or a methyl ester. The process
uses a base, either potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, as a catalyst to help in the process and forms glycerol as a
byproduct. The reaction is shown below: