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IRS Issues Guidance on Change to ASTM D6751 Specification
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The Internal Revenue Service has issued Notice 2008-110 pertaining to the biodiesel tax incentive and the cellulosic biofuel producers credit. Specifically, the notice provides guidance relating to the recent change in the ASTM D6751 biodiesel fuel specification. This change takes effect on April 1, 2009.
Under current law, biodiesel must meet the fuel registration requirements of Section 211 of the Clean Air Act and the ASTM D6751 biodiesel specification to qualify for the income tax and excise tax credits that comprise the biodiesel tax incentive.
On October 13, 2008, ASTM International published changes to the ASTM D6751 biodiesel specification, which included the addition of the cold soak filtration test to the ASTM D6751 specification.
Notice 2008-110 provides transitional rules to address this change to the specification. Specifically, the guidance reads as follows:
If a claim relates to production, sale, or use of biodiesel or a biodiesel mixture and the production, sale, or use occurs before April 1, 2009, a certification that the biodiesel covered by the claim meets the requirements of ASTM D6751 is valid if the biodiesel meets the requirements of ASTM D6751 as in effect either before or after the October 13, 2008, revision adding the cold soak filtration test for biodiesel. If a claim relates to production, sale, or use of biodiesel or a biodiesel mixture and the production, sale, or use occurs after April 1, 2009, a certification that the biodiesel covered by the claim meets the requirements of ASTM D6751 is valid only if the biodiesel satisfies the requirements of ASTM D6751 as in effect after the October 13, 2008, revision adding the cold soak filtration test for biodiesel.
If you have any additional questions or need more information, please do not hesitate to contact NBB's Washington, DC office.
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Truck Demonstration Counts Carbon Savings
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As more customers demand green transportation alternatives and environmentally friendly products and services, truck fleets using biodiesel can now provide more concrete data about how domestically produced biodiesel measures up to be eco-friendly.
Biodiesel significantly reduces most regulated emissions. While tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions for biodiesel and petroleum diesel are comparable, biodiesel’s environmental benefits start long before the fuel hits the tank and the tailpipe.
Over its entire life cycle, compared to petroleum diesel biodiesel reduces direct carbon dioxide emissions by 78 percent. NBB just put the lid on a trucking demonstration that modeled exactly what that means for truck fleets that use biodiesel.
Over six months California-based fleet States Logistics ran seven trucks: four on B5 and three on B99. The demonstration showed using biodiesel instead of petroleum diesel reduced States Logistics’ carbon output by 72.9 tons.
“We were really pleased to see the quantified reduction of CO2 and other pollutants,” said Ryan Donovan, VP of Operations and Business Development of States Logistics. “This is something that we can take to our customers, like Clif Bar & Company, and they can show their customers. We all benefit from having this information available to show the efforts being made to reduce carbon footprint throughout the supply chain.”
Chicago-based Indigenous Energy, LLC, developed the program used to calculate the carbon reduction. It compares the entire lifecycle carbon output based on gallons of fuel consumed and can help fleets measure carbon savings related to biodiesel.
“This information is valuable to any fleet using biodiesel,” said Tom Verry, Director of Outreach and Development for NBB. “We picture eventually offering this as a value-added report for BioTrucker Fuel Card holders.”
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BQ-9000 Adds Laboratories to Biodiesel Quality Assurance Program
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The most reputable biodiesel quality program in the world is now an even more powerful tool for customers. The National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission recently released a new certification for commercial laboratories to build on the industry’s successful marketer and producer certifications.
The BQ-9000 Lab Program calls for quality management systems in commercial laboratories that analyze biodiesel and biodiesel blends. Laboratories must establish and maintain the quality management system to be eligible for the BQ-9000 Lab Program. Laboratories operated by BQ-9000 Producers and Marketers are also eligible to seek this certification.
The lab certification program focuses on several analytical related areas including: test result reporting
equipment calibration and maintenance, quality control, and proficiency testing. Lab program specifications are available at bq-9000.org.
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"Scientists for Biodiesel" Declaration Tops 60 Scientists in Six Weeks
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Scientists from U.C. Berkeley, Texas Tech and Penn State, and government scientists from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Sandia National Laboratories, just to name a few, recognize the promise of biodiesel and have signed the “Scientists for Biodiesel” declaration.
Among them is founder and a director of the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, Dr. Rob Myers.
“Scientists sometimes have differences of opinion, but this declaration is intended to show the broad consensus among scientists about the benefits of biodiesel,” Dr. Myers said.
The declaration highlights biodiesel’s sustainability and its benefits to reduce dependence on petroleum, help address climate change and boost domestic economies. It also voices support for additional research and development.
In the first six weeks after it was unveiled, more than 60 experts joined forces to support biodiesel. And we need your help to keep that number climbing. Do you know a scientist who might be interested? Please encourage them to sign on. More information, the full text of the declaration and a list of scientists who have signed on so far, are available at www.biodieselsustainability.org.
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Because We Care Tour for Veterans Seeking Support
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The Inspiring Alliance’s Because We Care Journey Across America for Veterans is scheduled May 25-July 4, 2009. The event will share a message of appreciation with veterans and will be powered by biodiesel.
“The ‘Because We Care’ tour is part of our larger mission to support veterans, and it is only appropriate that we power this powerful event with a homegrown fuel,” said Ruth Adkins, Founder - President, Inspiring Alliance. “Patriotism runs deep in the men and women we serve. It is important to them and us to use biodiesel, to support a domestic fuel and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”
The Because We Care Journey Across America for Veterans will cover a total of nearly 5,000 miles across 25 states. The route will travel west across the United states from the USS Intrepid, New York City - through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. From there the tour will head through the central states of Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah before making 11 stops in California.
NBB is sponsoring the tour and is asking for additional sponsorships and fuel donations. Please contact Jessica Robinson if you may be able to help. The tour is incorporating several innovative ideas to showcase sponsors and supporters.
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Governors Envision Green Highway
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The I-5 highway stretches from the Canadian border all the way to Mexico, and governors in Washington, Oregon and California are hoping to make the border-to-border byway a Green Highway.
The highway would include a series of alternative fueling stations throughout the entire length of the highway to give motorists the change to charge, or swap out, their electric-vehicle batteries or fill their tanks with biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen or compressed natural gas.
Planning for public support and coordination is in the works with plans that could begin to take formation in Washington as early as this summer. The three states’ transportation departments have also been discussing ways to bring the green highway to life.
Of the plans discussed biodiesel continues to be the only real alternative fuel option for heavy transportation. And as NBB CEO Joe Jobe says, “It is the heavy duty trucks that move the freight, and the freight that moves the economy.”
According to Washington planners, the green highway marks the first time states have collaborated to ensure alternative fuel infrastructure is consistently available along a travel route.
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Center for Evergreen Energy Releases Biodiesel Report
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The Center for Evergreen Energy calls biodiesel one of the most significant solutions to harnessing solar energy. In the 2009 briefing report, “High Yield Pathways for Production” some of the nation’s foremost energy experts weigh in on the future of renewable biodiesel.
The report summarizes findings about biodiesel, the only commercially available advanced biofuel and the most diverse fuel on the planet. The findings are the result of the Center for Evergreen Energy’s first symposium to convene alternative fuels research, industry and policy representatives to discuss the potential for biodiesel.
“The Center for Evergreen Energy looks forward to aiding the biodiesel industry in strategies to meet the demand for renewable energy,” said Jay DeLong, Board Member of the Center for Evergreen Energy.
Among some of the findings were opportunities to use land in highway right of ways to produce biodiesel feedstock, to double yields for several major crops, and to coordinate goals and objectives among researchers, industry, government and policy makers. The symposium also featured and algae working group that concluded a permanent energy solution depend on plants to capture some of the 20,000 terawatts of sunlight that fall on the earth.
Participants focused on “systems engineering approach” that considers multiple feedstocks and multiple byproducts that can work together with all aspects of bioenergy production. For example, with algae there exists opportunities to convert waste products into value-added co-products as well as options to co-locate biodiesel plants near coal-fired power plants to allow the algae to help sequester the carbon dioxide produced during combustion. Some of these ideas are already in practice. Earlier this week, several NBB staff members attended a ribbon cutting for a nuclear power plant that will also feature algae as a way to offset carbon production and to generate feedstock for biodiesel.
The national center links global research, business and policy issues to improve products, processes, environmental acceptance and public adoption of sustainable energy solutions.
A full copy of the Report is available at www.centergreen.org.
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Futuristic Police Cruiser Keeps Biodiesel on Front Lines
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Emergency vehicles across the country, from Brooklyn Park, Minn., to Berkeley, Cal., use cleaner burning biodiesel. Even police patrol boats in Chicago have used biodiesel. Traditionally police cars have been regular cars modified for emergency use, but Carbon Motors is bringing to market a vehicle engineered solely for the purpose of law enforcement. The best part? Their vision for the future of police vehicles includes biodiesel.
According to company press releases, the Carbon E7, produced by Carbon Motors boasts a 300 horsepower engine has been designed as 40 percent more efficiency than comparable engines and can run on biodiesel.
According to Carbon Motors the nation’s law enforcement government fleet burns through an estimated 1.5 billion gallons of fuel annually and emits an estimated 14 million tons of CO2. Keeping biodiesel in the front lines of law enforcement is another way to help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
The company’s vision even includes recycling vehicles at end-of-life. The law enforcement patrol vehicle takes a futuristic fantasy cruiser from concept to reality. It includes cutting edge safety features and specialty engineering designed to meet the needs of emergency response.
The company is wrapping up a nationwide tour to introduce the prototype vehicle to the public and law enforcement communities. More information is available at www.carbonmotors.com.
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Diaper Service Brings New Meaning to “Biodiesel Baby”
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Talk about going green…and perhaps other shades in that color group... It’s all another day in the life for a new diaper service in California.
The company, EarthBaby (www.earth-baby.com) is a diaper delivery service that sells environmentally friendly diapers. Dirty diapers are picked up, taken to a composting facility and turned into topsoil.
Made of an organic corn-based plastic and wood pulp, dirty diapers are aerated for 14 weeks to kill bacteria and pathogens.
According to the company, a child who wears diapers until age 3 creates more than a ton of dirty diapers in his or her lifetime.
The Mercury News reports, Mountain View resident Julie Stanford said her family tries to be environmentally conscious, and she always felt bad about the diapers she threw away.
"You're trying to avoid using plastic bags but then you're throwing diapers in the landfill," she said. "It feels hypocritical."
According to the paper, she thought about using a cloth diaper service, but worried about the chlorine bleach used to wash them. She signed up as one of EarthBaby's test families in September.
Keeping consistent with the brown, err green theme, EarthBaby runs its delivery trucks on biodiesel. The company currently delivers to cities in the Sunshine State’s Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties.
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Upcoming Events
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Alternative Fuel & Vehicles Conference and Expo
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute
April 19-22, 2009
Disney's Swan and Dolphin Resort and Conf Center
Orlando, FL
www.afv2009.com
Please visit "biodiesel events" on biodiesel.org for more.
The NBB Family of Web Sites
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