**4. Biodiesel legal framework in Mexico**

**3. Non-industrial experiences of biodiesel production in Mexico**

animal tallow and WVO are an opportunity for biofuels production [18, 19].

is used as B20 in a bus at the same university [12].

as well [22-25].

418 Biofuels - Status and Perspective

production chain are offered [26].

state government [27].

CU restaurants [28].

biodiesel weekly [29].

In the state of Oaxaca, since 2004, José Vasconcelos University has a pilot plant for experi‐ menting with the production of biodiesel from WVO, with a capacity of 45,000 L/year, which

In 2005, Monterrey Institute of Technology built a first pilot plant for research purposes, to produce biodiesel from WVO, with the capacity to produce approximately 240,000 L/year [17]. In 2006, it was carried out a project entitled "Potential and Feasibility of Using Bioethanol and Biodiesel for Transport in Mexico", to determine the feasibility of producing such biofuels. In this project, it was assessed the production of biodiesel from rapeseed, soya, jatropha, sunflower and safflower oils, and the use of animal fat and WVO. The results suggest that farm input costs represent between 59% and 91% of biodiesel production costs, and as a result,

In 2007, the Engineering Institute of the Autonomous University of Baja California processed the first batch of biodiesel from WVO. It counts with two reactors to process a total of 416 L of biodiesel per batch. Besides the use of WVO, biodiesel from castor oil and inedible oilseeds from Mexicali Valley has been obtained. Subsequently, there have been developed research projects on topics related to the inventory of residual feedstocks to produce biodiesel, the performance of internal combustion engines operating with diesel-biodiesel blends, as well as the study of the behavior of materials exposed to diesel, biodiesel and mixtures of both [6, 15, 16, 19-21]. Research focused on the production of biodiesel via enzymatic has been conducted

In 2011, a National Laboratory of Biofuels was inaugurated in Chiapas as a result of the joint efforts by the government, the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) and the Tuxtla Gutiérrez Institute of Technology. Currently, analytical services for the biodiesel

In 2012, the Autonomous University of Puebla began initial production tests to produce 18,000 L/year of biodiesel approximately, despite reporting a production capacity of up to 72,000 L/year. The raw material used was castor oil. The production was intended to supply trucks of the university transport system. The funds were granted by CONACYT and the

In 2012, the Pumabus of Ciudad Universitaria (CU) began using biodiesel. This occurred as a result of studies conducted by students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), who determined that more than 10,720 L of WVO were annually discarded by the

In 2013, with an investment of 1.6 million pesos, a plant for biodiesel production in Zacatecas, located in the Autonomous University of Fresnillo began operations. However, the expecta‐ tions were not met, since it was expected to link production and business sectors, but to date only serves for students to do practice and internship. The goal is to produce 100,000 L of Considering the importance and the interest of bioenergy worldwide and in Mexico, on February 1st 2008 in the Official Federation Journal was published the decree to enact the LPDB. It aims the promotion and development of bioenergy in order to contribute to energy diver‐ sification and sustainable development as conditions possible to ensure support for the Mexican agriculture and provides the basis for [4]:


There is also the Regulation of the LPDB, which states that the SENER is responsible for issuing permits for production, storage, pipeline distribution and marketing of bioenergetics [32]. These permissions are granted for activities and necessary transformation processes of biomass fuels from organic matter in agriculture, livestock, forestry, forestry activities, aquaculture, algae-culture, fisheries waste, household waste, commercial waste, industrial waste, microor‐ ganisms and enzymes as well as their derivatives.

In accordance with the definitions in the LPDB, the Inter-Secretariat Commission for the development of bioenergy, as the entity of the highest level to promote the development of biofuels in Mexico was created [33]. The Inter-Secretariat Commission is comprised by the following secretariats:


The main functions of the Inter-Secretariat Commission are planning, participating in the creation of national and sectoral development plans; setting rules and guidelines to encourage public and private participation in the development of biofuels; monitoring of actions taken; and setting priorities for the allocation of public spending for the promotion and development of biofuels.

Diverse programs for the introduction of bioenergetics and bioenergy sustainable production feedstocks have been created. However, the results at the date have not been scaled industrially with success.
