The largest municipal fleet in the country made a bold environmental statement with cleaner burning biodiesel. On September 4, 2013, Mayor Bloomberg signed a new law requiring the use of biodiesel blends in municipal vehicles.

New York City Councilman James F. Gennaro, honored by the National Biodiesel Board with the 2011 Clean Energy Leadership Award, sponsored the bill. The new law requires a fuel blend of 5 percent biodiesel (B5) by 2014, and of 20 percent (B20) by 2016, during the warm weather months. The bill also calls for the City to conduct a pilot program to study the feasibility of using B20 year round.

"I am proud to have been an early supporter of the expanded use of biodiesel fuels that have created an entirely new green industry based right here in New York City employing hundreds of people," said Gennaro.

Home to nearly 8,000 diesel vehicles, the City already uses biodiesel blends in almost all vehicles and in such prominent and key roles as Central Park management, snow removal and garbage collection. The city was an early adopter and is home to many of biodiesel's biggest champions. A move to B20 would add up to 2 million gallons of biodiesel use annually.

In addition, the city has had a B2 Bioheat® (two percent biodiesel) requirement for home heating oil in effect since last year. The New York State legislature also recently passed legislation requiring all heating oil sold in the state to contain at least B2 by 2015.

Students studying a wide array of disciplines have a unique opportunity to grow their passion for biodiesel at the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, January 20-23 in San Diego. 

The National Biodiesel Board is again offering partial scholarships to selected applicants who are members of the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel, an NBB program that aims to educate and collaborate with young scientists.

"Attending the conference has provided an unparalleled opportunity to absorb knowledge from industry leaders," said Dan Browne, pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Texas A&M University, and co-chair of the program. "This unique experience helped me to better understand the role of science within the greater framework, while giving me direct connections to the scientists at the cutting edge."

Students attending the conference will have opportunities to attend conference sessions and network with scientists in the field, with a specially arranged luncheon for students and scientists. They may also present a poster on their biodiesel-related research during the event.

Last year, 16 students from nine universities received scholarships to attend the conference. The scholarships are funded by state soybean organizations and the United Soybean Board through the soybean checkoff.

There is also an opportunity for students to present a poster at the conference. For more information, visit the NGSB website. The deadline to apply is Nov. 8.

Much has been made about the petroleum industry's aggressive push in Washington to eliminate the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the federalpolicy requiring minimum volumes of renewable fuels to be blended into the U.S. fuel supply. While a repeal vote is not expected in the near term, efforts to undermine or severely weaken the program could gain momentum at any time, and it is unknown where that could lead given the unpredictable nature of Congress.
Additionally, after National Biodiesel Board leadership meetings with Administration officials, an uphill battle is expected to win a 2014 volume increase for biodiesel under the RFS.

On both of these fronts, it is time for the industry and its supporters to make their voices heard. NBB's Fueling Action advocacy site has information including a form letter and contact information for submitting a letter of support to the administration for an increase in volume for 2014. While on the site, supporters can also find information to call or email their members of Congress to urge their support of a strong RFS program. Supporters are also encouraged to submit editorials or a letter to the editor to local newspapers or share positive biodiesel messages through social media.

Biodiesel is an EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel that has exceeded annual volume requirements, is diversifying our fuel supply, creating thousands of jobs, and is reducing harmful emissions. Now is the time to turn up the volume and let Washington DC know the importance of biodiesel and strong renewable fuels policy.

As the national trade association for the biodiesel industry, the National Biodiesel Board often finds itself talking sustainability. The organization has taken those messages a step further and has implemented sustainable principles in practical ways. NBB recently celebrated its fifth year in the green-renovated building that serves as the trade association's headquarters in Jefferson City, Missouri.

 "As members of this community we wanted to be a part of the  redevelopment efforts that were beginning to take place in  the older Eastern edge of downtown," NBB CEO Joe Jobe  said. "So we bought three abandoned and dilapidated  buildings and turned them into one state of the art green  building."

 The building's green features remain just as important and  useful today as when the doors first opened. Since purchasing  the building and adjacent property in 2008, the National  Biodiesel Board directed a full renovation and reconstruction  of the space, maintaining a commitment to sustainability. The carpet comes from recycled materials. The paint is nontoxic. The parking lot lights are powered by the sun. Just two years ago, the group expanded their footprint to include newly built green space to compliment the environmentally conscious focus of the building construction.

"Biodiesel is one of the most sustainable fuels on the planet and I think it is only fitting that the office building that we operate out of was developed with similar sustainability principles in mind," Jobe added.

Where do you go if you want to reach 12,000 people in four seconds? For the National Biodiesel Board, that place is Facebook. With millions of people around the world active in social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others, if biodiesel supporters aren't active online, they are missing opportunities.
  
"In the not so distant past if you wanted to reach the public with information about something like biodiesel you had to either work with newspapers to get positive stories written, or you had to buy advertising on TV, radio, or in print," said National Biodiesel Board Communications Director Jessica Robinson. "Now through our online presence every piece of information about biodiesel that anyone could want is just a click away."
 
Not only does the National Biodiesel Board maintain one of the most robust online databases of biodiesel fact sheets and information through its websites www.biodiesel.org  and www.nbb.org, it also has a presence in the interactive portion of the online world.
 
"Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others can be very dynamic in that they allow discussions to take place among communities of people," Robinson said. "The biodiesel industry has a great story to tell, and being an active part of the online community allows us to share that story."
 
The National Biodiesel Board maintains a number of social media pages including a Facebook Page, the Twitter handle @Biodiesel_Media, a YouTube channel NationalBiodieselBrd, and a blog devoted to biodiesel sustainability. Be sure to like, follow, and subscribe to keep up with the latest biodiesel information.

As supermodels strutted the runways during New York City's Fashion Week last month, biodiesel lit the way. National Biodiesel Board member company Tri-State Biodiesel, provided B20 for the generators that were used to light the runways.  The high-profile event brought designers from around the world to New York's Lincoln Center where they unveiled their Spring 2014 fashion lines.

According to Dehran Duckworth, a managing partner at Tri-State Biodiesel, this was the first year the company won the contract to supply biodiesel for the Aggreko plc generators and temperature control equipment for the virtual "tent city".

"It was an uphill push getting them to agree to run on   B20," Duckworth told Biodiesel Magazine. Duckworth    explained they were able to hit the right price point        since New York State only taxes the petroleum portion of  a B20 blend.

"They said, 'Your fuel is so clean that it shut down our  units, and we had to change the filters'," Duckworth  said.  He added that fortunately, Aggreko understands  that biodiesel has cleansing properties that loosen  residues left behind from years of petroleum use. In the  future, the company may dedicate some of its  equipment for biodiesel blends to avoid similar issues.

Earlier this month, Tri-State Biodiesel also provided B99 for the Twin Towers Tribute Lights. The lights are turned on at sunset each September 11 and off at dawn September 12 to honor those that were lost in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

AAA made headlines last month when the group pointed out that gas prices have been above $3 per gallon for 1,000 days straight and those high prices are likely here to stay.

"These statistics underscore the need for diversity in the transportation fuels marketplace," said National Biodiesel Board Communications Director Jessica Robinson. "If you look at electricity generation in the US it is domestic and diverse with coal, nuclear, wind, natural gas, and more. This diversity provides much greater price stability and is a great example for the transportation sector to strive for."

That's why renewable fuels like biodiesel are so important. America's Advanced Biofuel - biodiesel - has an important role to play in helping to keep fuel prices down while providing cleaner air, good jobs and a more stable and diversified energy market. Biodiesel is produced in nearly every state in the country and supports some 50,000 jobs. It is produced from a variety of natural plant oils, waste fats, and recycled cooking oils. Research in the industry continues to find new and innovative feedstocks to help support future growth.

Policymakers and regulators from Washington, D.C. recently traveled to Iowa for a firsthand look at biodiesel and other renewable fuels in action. The National Biodiesel Foundation (NBF) sponsored the 5th Annual Biofuels: Science and Sustainability Tour, which included a biodiesel plant visit.

Hosted by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, the three-day tour provided participants an opportunity to engage in substantive dialogue with renewable fuels experts, agriculture leaders, and state and university officials. Discussions covered a variety of policy, regulatory and technical issues facing the renewable fuels industry. Participants also got hands-on experience with some of the most exciting breakthroughs taking place in the renewable fuels industry.

The tour included visits to Ag Processing's (AGP) biodiesel production facility in Sgt. Bluff, Iowa; Quad County Corn Processors ethanol refinery in Galva, Iowa; Horan Brothers Agricultural Enterprises in Rockwell City, Iowa; GROWMARK fuel terminal in Duncombe, Iowa; Iowa Central Fuel Testing Laboratory in Ft. Dodge, Iowa; Iowa State University's Sorenson Farm and Biocentury Research Farm in Boone, Iowa; DuPont Cellulosic Ethanol construction site in Nevada, Iowa; Couser Cattle Company in Nevada, Iowa; John Deere Des Moines Works in Ankeny, Iowa; FEC Solutions in Des Moines, Iowa; and the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa.

The tour highlighted the need for continued biofuels education among policy leaders and decision makers in Washington DC.