ABSTRACT
It is generally known that vegetable oils and animal fats were investigated as diesel fuels well before the energy crises of the 1970s and early 1980s sparked renewed interest in alternative fuels. It is also known that Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913), the inventor of the engine that bears his name, had some interest in these fuels. However, the early history of vegetable oil-based diesel fuels is often presented inconsistently, and “facts” that are not compatible with Diesel’s own statements are encountered freq u e n t l y .
