Fuel Sampling Results Make Conditions Right for Caution
Petroleum Outreach, Fuel Quality Enforcement Program and State-by-State
Quality Index are all part of NBB’s Efforts to Enhance Biodiesel Quality
Jefferson City, MO. – Fleet managers, petroleum distributors and other consumers should
consider a biodiesel “winter weather advisory” in effect for the nation. The National Biodiesel
Board (NBB) raised the advisory in response to fuel quality testing results that the trade
association shared at an NBB-led industry meeting today.
“Ensuring that consumers have a high level of confidence in the biodiesel they purchase is a top
priority for the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and a key element for the industry’s continued
growth,” said Joe Jobe, NBB CEO. “As the industry ramps up to meet the vast increase in
demand for biodiesel, this growth simply cannot occur at the expense of fuel quality.”
The biodiesel industry’s commitment to fuel quality and consumer confidence is exemplified by
a six-fold increase in the number of biodiesel producers completing the BQ-9000 voluntary
certification program in a single year. The industry has also asked government agencies to adopt
fuel quality standards for biodiesel and enforce them.
A national fuel quality testing project, co-funded by NBB and the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, found that one-third of biodiesel samples pulled between November 2005 and July
2006 were out of spec for incomplete processing. That’s the same issue that caused some filter
clogging problems in Minnesota last year. Although fuel quality is always important, cold
weather can amplify problems caused by out-of-spec fuel.
“NBB views these results as unacceptable,” Jobe said. “This underscores the need for
enforcement agencies to take action against those who aren’t producing biodiesel that meets the
existing standard, ASTM D-6751.”
As a result of issues in Minnesota last winter, NBB board members in June approved a
comprehensive Fuel Quality Policy that directs NBB to work diligently with all state and federal
agencies with authority to regulate fuel and enforce quality.
NBB’s Fuel Quality Outreach Program has made contact with all state Divisions of Weights and
Measures, and encouraged them to adopt ASTM D-6751 into the laws that regulate fuel quality.
Currently, half of the states have adopted the ASTM D-6751 specification as part of their fuel
quality regulations, and an additional 13 states are planning to adopt the specification or are
studying it. Ten states now proactively test biodiesel or biodiesel blends.
That list includes Minnesota, where all diesel fuel contains 2 percent biodiesel.
“All of the samples from the state’s biodiesel producers and terminals that we have collected and
tested have met specifications,” said Mark Buccelli, director, Minnesota Department of
Commerce Division of Weights and Measures. “We have set up a monthly schedule to collect
samples at the biodiesel producers and terminals. We expect to see good results. Most of the
terminals are testing every shipment of biodiesel that comes into their facilities.”
In addition, the biodiesel industry, through NBB, has done the following:
• Worked diligently with the Internal Revenue Service, Environmental Protection Agency,
and state Weights and Measures bureaus on enforcing fuel quality
• Issued a bulletin to fuel suppliers advising them to take samples of fuel, ensure a
certificate of analysis for every batch, and take other precautions
• Developed an online Fuel Quality Enforcement Guide
[www.biodiesel.org/resources/fuelqualityguide] that provides guidance on actions for
anyone who has concerns that a company might not be producing spec fuel
• Built strong participation in BQ-9000, the industry’s voluntary quality control program
This winter, NBB has the following recommendations for fleet managers and other consumers:
• Work with a reputable supplier who will stand behind the product
• Report out-of-spec biodiesel to the proper authorities, which can be found in the State
Fuel Quality Index [http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/fuelqualityguide/states.aspx]
• Buy fuel from BQ-9000 accredited producers or certified marketers, a list of which is
available online at www.bq-9000.org
The BQ-9000 program, launched in late 2005, requires certified and accredited companies to
posses a Quality Manual and Quality Control System and employ best practices in fuel sampling,
testing, blending, shipping, storage, and distribution. This helps assure quality from plant gate to
consumer tank.
Last year at this time, three companies had BQ-9000 accreditation. Today there are 17
accredited producers and certified marketers, representing more than 40 percent of the biodiesel
production capacity on the market. Seven more are expected to be accredited by the end of the
year.
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Additional information about biodiesel is available online at www.biodiesel.org.