TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The basic solution is an aqueous solution of lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide. The catalyst is acid washed activated carbon, calcined sewage sludge solids or silica sand. The solid acid catalyst is titanium dioxide solid support doped with zirconium sulfate, tin oxide doped with sulfuric acid, sulfated zirconium oxide (ZrO2/SO42-), sulfated iron oxide, halogenated alumina, sulfated tin oxide, trifluoromethylimines, tungstated zirconia-alumina (W/SiZr-Al) or silica-supported aluminum chloride.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The thermal cracking is conducted at 390-460 degrees C. The rapid pyrolysis is conducted at 480-600 degrees C. The triglyceride feedstock is fluidized with steam. The ratio of steam to triglyceride feedstock is 0.5-1.5. In the method, an inert gas is used to purge any oxidizing agents during rapid pyrolysis; and a catalyst is used during rapid pyrolysis to enhance the cracking of triglycerides to largely free fatty acids. The esterification is conducted in the presence of methanol as the alcohol. The ratio of middle distillate stream to alcohol is 3:1-0.1:1, preferably 2:1-1:1. The residence time for esterification is 6-425 (preferably 6-43) minutes. The esterification is conducted: at 150-350 degrees C, preferably 200-250 degrees C; and in vacuum of 0.1-1.16 psia. Preferred Components: The triglyceride feedstock is canola oil, palm oil, soy oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, mustard seed oil, fish oils, algae oils, restaurant trap grease, rendered animal fats, waste greases, and/or low-quality vegetable oils. EXAMPLE - Thermally cracked palm oil (10.84 g) and methanol were premixed at a ratio of 1:1 and loaded in an 8 ml syringe pump. Calcined titanium dioxide/zirconium sulfate (4.1 g) was charged in the microreactor between the layers of compacted glass wool and used as the acid catalyst. The reactor was heated to 200 degrees C, the vacuum pump was turned on and feed (where total acid number (TAN) of the feed mixture was 120 mg potassium hydroxide (KOH)/g) was started at a feed rate of 20 mu l/minute. The system pressure was maintained at 57 mmHg by bleeding a small stream of air into the vacuum pump inlet to form biodiesel having a TAN of 20.632 mg KOH/g. Thus the free fatty acids conversion based on the TAN was 82.8%.