Biodiesel Goes High-Stakes with Ten Year Vision

(LAS VEGAS) – It’s Vegas, and the winning bet is on growth for biodiesel, America’s advanced biofuel. American jobs and clean air stand to benefit as the industry pushes towards its new 10-year vision: 10 percent of the on-road diesel market by 2022.

“It is not about replacing every drop of petroleum; it is about continuing to diversify transportation energy so we can meet our needs affordably and sustainably,” said National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe.  “Biodiesel will play an increasing role to help protect fuel consumers and the US economy from unstable energy markets that are grossly distorted by political factors in the most politically unstable region in the world and by nationalized oil companies of totalitarian regimes.”  

Eight years ago NBB set a goal to be 5 percent of the diesel fuel supply by 2015, a goal then viewed as aggressive. With a billion gallons produced in 2011 and 2012, the biodiesel industry is well on its way to achieve that goal and possibly hit it earlier than expected.

“No one could have predicted the changes and challenges of this industry, but we have been deliberate and intentional as we map our potential,” Jobe continued. “This year, biodiesel marks 20 years for the trade association, 10 years for the conference and lays out the vision for the next ten years to come.”

Announced today at the Biodiesel Conference & Expo, the industry’s 10×22 goal envisions a more diversified future energy portfolio that would include biodiesel making up 10% of the diesel fuel supply.  This goal is benchmarked to the onroad volumes but expected to be used in various blend levels in various applications. The goal is intended to be a stretch but yet attainable.  It accounts for continuing technological breakthroughs in research on raw materials like one announced today.

Researchers at the Danforth Plant Science Center have developed technology that has demonstrated 2 percent and possibly higher increases in the oil content of soybeans.  Preliminary data suggests these benefits occur without loss of yield or negative impacts on protein quality.  The development has the potential to add one-half billion gallons of oil to the feedstock supply in the near term without negatively impacting soybean meal and animal feed.  

The biodiesel industry already is accounting for the vast majority of the advanced biofuel production called for under the Federal Renewable Fuel Standard.  As ongoing research continues to support more biodiesel growth the industry looks forward to the development and innovation that the coming decade will bring.

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