RESUMO
Rapeseed oil is one of the major raw materials for biodiesel production. The bottleneck of rapeseed oil-based biodiesel production at present is high cost of raw materials, which generally accounts for about 75% of total production cost. Current status and principal problems concerned in the production of biodiesel from rapeseed oil in China and other countries were introduced, based on which it was proposed to grow high-erucic acid rape in existing winter fallow fields and jointly produce biodiesel, erucic acid and its derivative products, and other highly valuable by-products such as glycerin and sterols from high-erucic acid rapeseed oil. The feasibility of this development strategy was analyzed in terms of product and market demand potential, economic benefits of enterprises, techniques and conditions of production, and source of raw materials. It was believed that the implementation of the strategy in China was of great significance in realizing rise and sustainable development of rapeseed oil-based biodiesel production, improving quality of biodiesel, promoting the development of biochemical engineering and many other industries, as well as in building a socialist new countryside.