What is biodiesel?

With less than a decade of commercial-scale production, the industry is proud of its careful approach to growth and strong focus on sustainability. Production has increased from about 25 million gallons in the early 2000s to almost 1.1 billion gallons in 2012. This represents a small but growing component of the annual .!. on-road diesel mar"et of about #5 billion to $0 billion gallons. %onsistent with pro&ected feedstoc" a'ailability, the industry has established a goal of producing about 10 percent of the diesel transportation mar"et by 2022. (eaching that goal would significantly lessen .!. dependence on imported oil, bolstering national security and reducing our trade deficit. )t the same time, biodiesel*s growth would boost the .!. economy, not &ust by creating &obs but also by reducing our dependence on global oil mar"ets and 'ulnerability to price spi"es. There are currently about 200 biodiesel plants across the country + from Washington state to ,owa to -orth %arolina + with registered capacity to produce some # billion gallons of fuel. The industry is supporting more than .2,000 &obs, generating billions of dollars in /0P, household income and ta1 re'enues. The industry*s economic impact is poised to grow significantly with continued production increases. The industry supports &obs in a 'ariety of sectors, from manufacturing to transportation, agriculture and ser'ice. The 2P) has recogni3ed biodiesel*s en'ironmental benefits by classifying it as an )d'anced 4iofuel, ma"ing biodiesel the only commercial-scale .!. fuel produced nationwide to meet the agency*s ad'anced criteria. )ccording to the 2P), biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent and up to 6. percent when compared to petroleum diesel + ma"ing it one of the most practical and cost-effecti'e ways to immediately address climate change. ,n addition, biodiesel sharply reduces ma&or tailpipe pollutants from petroleum diesel, particularly from older diesel 'ehicles. This is important because the 2P) has consistently cited diesel e1haust + primarily from older truc"s, buses and other 'ehicles + as one of the nation7s most dangerous pollutants. 4iodiesel is produced using a broad 'ariety of resources. This di'ersity has grown significantly in recent years, helping shape a nimble industry that is constantly searching for new technologies and feedstoc"s. ,n fact, industry demand for less e1pensi'e, reliable sources of fats and oils is stimulating promising research on ne1tgeneration feedstoc"s such as algae and camelina. Technical 0efinition for 4iodiesel 8)!T9 0 .551: and 4iodiesel 4lend; Biodiesel, n - a fuel comprised of mono-al"yl esters of long chain fatty acids deri'ed from 'egetable oils or animal fats, designated 4100, and meeting the re<uirements of )!T9 0 .551. Biodiesel Blend, n - a blend of biodiesel fuel meeting )!T9 0 .551 with petroleum-based diesel fuel, designated 4==, where == represents the 'olume percentage of biodiesel fuel in the blend. >ow is biodiesel made? 4iodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or 'egetable oil. The process lea'es behind two products -- methyl esters 8the chemical name for biodiesel: and glycerin 8a 'aluable byproduct usually sold to be used in soaps and other products:. ,s 4iodiesel the same thing as raw 'egetable oil? -o@ Auel-grade biodiesel must be produced to strict industry specifications 8)!T9 0.551: in order to insure proper performance. 4iodiesel is the only alternati'e fuel to ha'e fully completed the health effects testing re<uirements of the 1BB0 %lean )ir )ct )mendments. 4iodiesel that meets )!T9 0.551 and is legally registered with the 2n'ironmental Protection )gency is a legal motor fuel for sale and distribution. (aw 'egetable oil cannot meet biodiesel fuel specifications, it is not registered with the 2P), and it is not a legal motor fuel. Aor entities see"ing to adopt a definition of biodiesel for purposes such as federal or state statute, state or national di'isions of weights and measures, or for any other purpose, the official definition consistent with other federal and state laws and Criginal 2<uipment 9anufacturer 8C29: guidelines is as follows; 4iodiesel is defined as mono-al"yl esters of long chain fatty acids deri'ed from 'egetable oils or animal fats which conform to )!T9 0.551 specifications for use in diesel engines. 4iodiesel refers to the pure fuel before blending with diesel fuel. 4iodiesel blends are denoted as, D4==D with D==D representing the percentage of biodiesel contained in the blend 8ie; 420 is 20E biodiesel, 60E petroleum diesel:. Why should , use biodiesel? 4iodiesel is better for the en'ironment because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel. ,t is less to1ic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar. Produced domestically with natural resources, its use decreases our dependence on imported fuel and contributes to our own economy.

Where do , get biodiesel? 4iodiesel is a'ailable nationwide. ,t can be purchased directly from biodiesel producers and mar"eters, petroleum distributors, or at a handful of public retailers throughout the nation.