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During the first quarter of 2023, the program solidified its role in the race to meet carbon reduction goals, joining California and Oregon in promoting the use of increasingly higher blends of biomass-based diesel. Preliminary data shows that biodiesel and renewable diesel contributed around 22% of the credits indicating an approximate 1.2% blend rate. In comparison, when California first implemented its Low Carbon Fuel Standard, the state saw a blend rate of 0.4% for biodiesel and renewable diesel in the first year.

Replicating California’s Low-Carbon Fuel Standard, Washington adopted their own Clean Fuel Standard in 2021 in an effort to reduce carbon intensity in the transportation sector, the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Implemented on January 1, 2023, by the Washington Department of Ecology, the program provides credits for a range of low-carbon fuel alternatives that improve air quality and stimulate economic growth while strengthening the state’s position as a leader in sustainable energy practices.

Jeff Earl, Director of State Governmental Affairs for Clean Fuels Alliance America, commented on the first-quarter results, saying, “We are thrilled to see the tangible impact of the Washington Clean Fuel Standard, a program which received tremendous support from our association. These results show that our fuels are the low-cost option for immediate decarbonization of the heavy-duty transportation sector in the state of Washington.”

Clean Fuels remains optimistic that as the year progresses, the program will continue to build on its first-quarter success supporting the transition to better, cleaner fuels and developing new market opportunities for the industry.

For more information about the Washington Clean Fuel Standard visit ecology.wa.gov.

Contact: Heather Buechter, hbuechter@cleanfuels.org, 479-651-7301.

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In the race to lower carbon emissions and combat climate change, one resource that is nearly depleted is time. Carbon added to the atmosphere today compounds the environmental challenges of tomorrow, and because of technological and infrastructure restraints, many industries that rely on heavy-duty (and often heavy-polluting) equipment are years or even decades away from electrification.

“To meet the ambitious carbon reduction goals that Americans are aiming for, we have to use all of the tools in our toolbox,” says Clean Fuels Alliance America CEO Donnell Rehagen. “Both clean fuels and electric vehicles have important roles to play in staving off the detrimental effects of climate change and make progress toward those goals.”

For many companies and municipalities, switching to biofuels has proven to be a simple and effective way to meet their carbon reduction goals.

“Carbon emissions are cumulative, and they persist in the atmosphere. Anytime we can reduce more carbon now, it has less opportunity to persist in our environment,” says Scott Fenwick, technical director for Clean Fuels Alliance America. “[Biofuels] have the ability to immediately impact carbon emissions today, versus waiting five or ten years for electric vehicles to become viable and affordable, and will do more in the long term to reduce these emissions.”

Electric vehicles have become more attainable for light-duty passenger vehicles, and this success has many people dreaming of an all-electric future. However, for some applications, significant technology development is still needed.

“You have folks who really want to leapfrog technology and go straight from fossil fuel equipment to electric equipment, but the technology to go all electric is not there yet,” says Veronica Bradley, director of environmental science at Clean Fuels Alliance America.

She remarked that there are many uses for clean fuels in equipment, like commercial aircraft, that don’t have an electric option today. For example, she said that with today’s technology, the battery for a 737 would take up the whole aircraft, leaving no room for passengers or cargo. Sustainable aviation fuel, which is now coming to the market, lowers emissions by changing what’s in the tank, instead of changing the entire airplane.

Moreover, large transport vehicles such as semi-trucks travel long distances hauling heavy loads on rigid deadlines in areas without reliable access to charging infrastructure.

“There are still a lot of cases where electrification is not viable yet,” Fenwick says. “Those are the sweet spots for biodiesel and renewable diesel to be able to offer a low-carbon option for those uses and markets.”

And the OEMs are responding. Jennifer Weaver, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) market development manager for Clean Fuels Alliance America, states that nearly all of them already support B20 biodiesel blends as well as renewable diesel, and they are working in tandem with Clean Fuels to drive innovation.

“We’re seeing OEMs have a significant interest in higher biodiesel blends, on the order of B30, B40, B50 all the way up to B100,” Weaver says. “These companies are getting pressure from their customers to do more to lower their carbon footprint and to meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.”

Biodiesel has evolved over the last several decades, and a growing number of companies and municipalities are using it to meet their carbon goals. With assistance from the Clean Fuels team and a push from new federal regulations, OEMs are developing cleaner engines that support higher biodiesel blends and emit less carbon.

“We are in the process of working with all of those OEMs as they are developing their strategies of how they’re going to meet that new emissions level to make sure that biodiesel is included as part of the equation,” Weaver says. “They are increasingly acknowledging that using an already low-carbon fuel in their engines is going to make it even easier for them to get there. We work with them far in advance of their production time to make sure that’s all contemplated, tested and thoroughly vetted by the time those new models hit the production line.”

This symbiotic relationship between Clean Fuels and the OEMs has led to a premium product that has less impact on the environment.

“We’re really proud of what the industry has done,” says Steve Howell, senior technical advisor for Clean Fuels and an early champion for biodiesel. “We’re selling over 3 billion gallons today, and we wouldn’t be selling that amount of fuel if the standards weren’t working.”

Howell says diesel engines are cleaner than ever before, and this industry will continue to evolve.

“One of the key things that Clean Fuels Alliance America is doing is making sure that we’re doing that research for the future, and I think that’s a competitive advantage for biodiesel and the biodiesel industry,” Howell says. “We used to think of diesel technology as ‘old, dirty diesels’, but now they are clean.”

It’s not just OEMs supporting clean fuels—municipalities are too. Weaver noted that cities were some of the earliest adopters and strongest supporters. She says one of the most notable adopters is New York City, the largest city in the United States.

“New York City uses biodiesel blends in over 11,000 diesel municipal fleet vehicles,” Weaver says. “Everything from sanitation trucks and police vehicles to parks department equipment, light towers and generators. They even use Bioheat for the heating oil that powers their buildings.”

Bioheat® fuel is a clean, renewable and cost-effective alternative to liquid heating fuels. Converting a home’s heating system to electric heating can cost up to $20,000, which is cost prohibitive for many, and the electric systems can place a heavy burden on electric grids. Bioheat fuel, just like biodiesel and renewable diesel, offers an immediate solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for those that rely on liquid fuels.

Carbon buildup in our atmosphere is truly a global problem and meaningful reduction will require all of the tools in our toolkit, including electrification and the continued development of new green technologies. Clean fuels—including biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel and Bioheat—can slow the accumulation of carbon in our atmosphere and push back the detrimental effects of climate change today. Time may not be a renewable resource, but renewable fuels give companies and municipalities an option to cut the emissions of some of their heaviest polluting vehicles and equipment to make an immediate impact in their carbon footprints.

This article was funded by the United Soybean Board and state checkoff organizations.

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Clean Fuels Alliance America uses the slogan “Better. Cleaner. Now!” because there is urgency in the mission. Removing a pound of carbon from the atmosphere today is worth more than removing a pound of carbon from the atmosphere a year from now—and certainly, 10 or 20 years from now. Carbon emissions in the atmosphere are cumulative, and time is a multiplier for many of the problems created by greenhouse gases, whether global warming or, on a more personal level, health problems such as increased instances of severe asthma.

Corporations and regulators are realizing that they don’t have to wait years for new technology to meet sustainability goals. Instead, they’re turning to clean fuels to make an immediate impact. U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel production continue to ramp up, and the upward trajectory of clean fuels will only continue as companies and municipalities increase carbon reduction efforts in their fleets.

We have the solution. Switching to clean fuels is more often than not the fastest, easiest and least expensive way to meet emissions goals, especially in the heavy-duty transportation sectors. U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel production grew by 500 million gallons in 2022, and the rapid growth is continuing to accelerate. Production for the first quarter of the year was 33% higher than the first quarter of 2022.

Investments in clean fuels are being made on an unprecedented scale. Renewable diesel is coming online quickly as companies have committed $4.5 billion for increased crush capacity through new or expanded facilities. Renewable diesel went from less than 500 million gallons of production in 2019 to a projected 3.34 billion gallons this year. The U.S. EIA and researchers at the University of Illinois project close to 6 billion gallons of U.S. renewable diesel capacity will come online in the next few years.

Biodiesel production has also increased, and a recent investment has the potential to push many fleets from lower blends of biodiesel to B100. Optimus Technologies raised $17.8 million to fund the further development and deployment of its Vector System, an advanced fuel system technology that enables heavy-duty diesel engines to operate on 100% biodiesel. The Vector System integrates into existing engines in operation or can be built into new engines as they are manufactured, leveraging the foundational diesel engine for the transition to a low-carbon future.

The world is realizing the potential of clean fuels to solve heavy-duty problems. By the time the industry gathers for the 2024 Clean Fuels Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, a whole new set of opportunities will be on the horizon. We have more hard work to do, but our industry will keep hitting new milestones. We’re proud to be your partner as we lower carbon emissions today, tomorrow and years in the future.

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The same can be said at sea. The shipping industry is responsible for three percent of carbon emissions worldwide, burning 300 million tons of fuel every year. Maersk has an ambitious goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2040 with more shipping companies following suit. Turning to low carbon, liquid biofuels is the obvious choice to make an immediate change. No capital investments are needed in engines nor the fueling infrastructure, and companies don’t have to wait for future technologies to come to fruition to be able to reduce emissions today.

Nebraska is no stranger to answering the call to decarbonize. The Nebraska Soybean Board was instrumental in developing the Bioheat® Fuel market in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Providing funds for testing led to the approval of Bioheat® Fuel as a home-heating fuel, tapping into a 4-billion-gallon industry. More than 70% of New York City government buildings now use 10% biodiesel for heating oil, while the city’s fire trucks, garbage trucks and other fleets run on B20.

The growing demand for liquid biofuels creates more demand for feedstocks, which creates even more opportunities for our nation’s soybean farmers. Nebraska continues to invest in biodiesel and renewable diesel production with two new soybean crush facilities planned for the state, representing investments of $725 million. Overall, the clean fuels market supported an estimated worth of $322 million of the overall value of Nebraska’s soybeans in 2022. For a farmer with 500 acres in Nebraska, the biodiesel and renewable diesel market supported around $28,400 for their bottom line in 2022. Soybean farmers are helping make net-zero a reality, and the benefits of investing in the industry keep growing. 

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Many people will dine out on Thanksgiving while others choose to fry their turkey. Either of those options can support the clean fuels industry. NBB members are leaders in the circular economy, many of whom rely on local restaurants for their feedstock supply. These companies collect used cooking oil from area restaurants and recycle it to produce to high-quality biodiesel, which they sell to local businesses, governments, fleets and even use themselves. They’re keeping a waste product out of landfills and helping restaurants keep prices down by finding a second use for their waste product.

Similarly, when biodiesel is produced from soybean oil it helps keep the price of soy protein meal — which is 80% of the bean and used in livestock feed — affordable. This in turn helps keep prices for meat, eggs and dairy more affordable than they would be if there was no market for the surplus oil — the remaining 20% of the bean. 

Newport Biodiesel collects waste vegetable oil from over 5,000 kitchens throughout the New England and Tri-state areas,” Newport Biodiesel President Blake Banky said. “This feedstock is processed into biodiesel in Newport Rhode Island, after which it is sold back into the region, thereby closing the sustainability loop.  Our restaurant partners will be generating extra quantities of valuable waste streams during the Thanksgiving holiday and Newport Biodiesel will be there to collect them.” 

Across the country in San Diego, New Leaf Biofuel is another company that collects used cooking oil from local restaurants and uses it to make high-quality biodiesel fuel that reduces carbon emissions and improves air quality. 

“Biodiesel made from used cooking oil is especially good for the environment,” said Jennifer Case, founder and CEO of New Leaf Biofuel. “It can significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to petroleum diesel. It can be used in virtually any diesel engine up to 20% and it can also be blended with renewable diesel up to 20%, which allows for a complete drop-in replacement for petroleum diesel.” 

American GreenFuels biodiesel is a renewable, cleaner-burning diesel replacement that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Located in New Haven, American GreenFuels is the largest biodiesel producer in both the Northeast and along the eastern seaboard of the United States. The company converts used cooking oil, which is sources from Connecticut and the surrounding states. 

According to Raf Aviner, president of Kolmar Americas, Inc., American GreenFuels parent company, “Using used cooking oil helps enable our plant to be sustainable. Biodiesel is renewable and used cooking oil helps complete the cycle of turning what was once a waste product into a renewable fuel.” 

American GreenFuels is currently engaged in an awareness campaign called “You Are What You Heat” which is designed to educate people about the benefits of using biodiesel in home heating systems, buildings, diesel equipment and trucks. 

“Biodiesel is playing an important role in our nation’s decarbonization efforts, reducing lifecycle greenhouse gases by an average of 74% — and oftentimes more depending on what is used to make the fuel,” explained Matt Herman, NBB’s director of environmental science. “Today, tomorrow, and long into the future, biodiesel and renewable diesel will continue to do their part in reducing emissions, improving air quality and protecting public health.” 

Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats, biodiesel and renewable diesel are better, cleaner fuels that are available now for use in existing diesel engines without modification. NBB is the U.S. trade association representing the entire biodiesel and renewable diesel value chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers and fuel distributors.

Photos available upon request.  For more about biodiesel, visit www.biodiesel.org.

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