Possibilities of decentralized oil production on family farms from rape seed for biodiesel

By signing the Kyoto Protocol (signed in 1998, ratified in 2002) Slovenia resolved to lower the emissions of greenhouse gases by 8 % (with regard to the situation in 1986) in the period 2008-2012. The use of biofuels is one of the measures conceived by the Strategy and Short-Term Action Plan of Decrease of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases. Alteration of the Law on Excise Duty in December 2003 determined biofuels used as engine fuels to become excise products with a 0 % excise rate. The next step to stimulate the use of biofuels was undertaken by including in the Slovene legal system the EU Directive on the Promotion of the Use of Biofuels or Other Renewable Fuels for Transport, which encourages the EU member states to increase the share of biofuels in the total use of fuels for transport to 2 % by the end of 2005 and to 5.5 % by the end of 2010. In frame of the strategic goal of Slovenia to increase the self-sufficiency rate in energy, agriculture may play an important role in the field of providing raw material for biofuels. For the present Slovene conditions (climatic conditions, production technology, price of biofuels, agricultural problems, etc.) biodizel made of plant oils or biodizel made of oil seed rape is considered to be the most appropriate fuel among the liquid biofuels made of biomass. Decentralised oil production from rape seed will be of interest for the Slovene conditions in future since quality oil can be obtained, which is a raw material for biodizel, and oil cake which is interesting as a high quality protein feed. Decentralised production may be carried out on larger farms which are dispersed throughout the country, since small production units can operate economically and environmentally friendly due to a simple and cheap technical equipment and simple working process connected with low energy use.