Seed Oil Biofuel

Overview

Canada’s multi-billion dollar canola industry had a bumper crop in 2025 but faced unprecedented challenges due to tariffs and international trade uncertainty. We made biofuel from five seed oils (canola, corn, sunflower, peanut, and grapeseed) through a process known as “transesterification” and compared their burning efficiency to traditional diesel fuel. All five seed oils produced biofuel and glycerin as a byproduct. Although diesel fuel produced the most energy, it also consumed more fuel than all but one of the tested biofuels (sunflower), making its heating value equivalent or less than that of the biofuels. The biofuels also created less emissions than diesel, based upon fumes and smoke from burning. Accordingly, the domestic production of seed biofuel is a potential method to both reduce Canada’s reliance on foreign trade and create a more environmentally friendly source of renewable energy.

Awards (2)

• Bronze Medal
• Selected for CWSF 2026

Competition history

• CWSF 2026 Energy

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