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By Troy Shoen, Renewable Energy Group

In the several years that I’ve been attending the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, I’ve never seen Clean Cities representatives as involved as they were at this year’s event in late January. Several coordinators spoke at sessions, more were in the crowd listening, and I met individually with many of them. 

I think this shows the growing recognition in the Clean Cities community that biodiesel is an easy, affordable and effective way to reduce petroleum usage and improve air quality. 
So what did Clean Cities coordinators have to say at the conference? Here’s a rundown. 

Sharing Successes

I thought one of the most interesting sessions of the entire conference was a panel discussion among Clean Cities coordinators. They told the audience how their programs operate, their successes and their experiences working with fleets. 

Kevin Herdler of St. Louis Regional Clean Cities said St. Louis Lambert International Airport has been using biodiesel for decades. They have 400-plus vehicles, and some generators, running on blends up to B20, meaning the fuel is 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel. Lately, the airport has been replacing CNG vehicles with diesel ones running on B20 and will soon have over 600 vehicles using biodiesel blends. 

“They have never, in all the years they’ve used biodiesel, had any issues with fuel quality or truck problems,” Herdler said. 

Lisa Thurstin works with both the Twin Cities Clean Cities and the American Lung Association in Minnesota, which supports biodiesel because it reduces pollutants that harm public health. Her organizations backed a state law requiring a minimum of B20 to be used in warmer months and B5 in the winter. Government and private fleets have found that their vehicles perform well on biodiesel, she said.

Tami Alexander of Central Kansas Clean Cities said an effective approach in her region has been holding training sessions with diesel technicians to get them the facts about biodiesel. 

“That’s been a really successful program, and I’d recommend you look at starting one in your state,” she said. 


A Strong Future for Biodiesel

Another informative session was the one led by Linda Bluestein, National Clean Cities Co-Director, providing an overview on the alternative fuels marketplace. She said biodiesel is a simple, cost-effective way for fleets to run cleaner. 

“We know as a group that biodiesel is easy to use and versatile. It’s got a really low cost of transition," she said. 

Bluestein also said that even with zero-emissions vehicles getting a lot of attention of late, she believes diesel vehicles will still have a place in the market for many years, especially heavy-duty vehicles. 

Other clean air advocates made similar statements at the conference. Medium- and heavy-duty trucks need the range and power diesel engines provide.

“I just don’t see electrification supplanting biofuels anytime in the near future,” said Floyd Vergara, Chief of the Industrial Strategies Division at the California Air Resources Board, which oversees the state’s clean air laws. “They will continue to play a significant role in California.”

If you’d like to hear more about biodiesel or would like support as you talk with fleets about reducing their petroleum usage, please reach out to me at (515) 239-8166 or troy.shoen@regi.com

Clean Cities at the National Biodiesel Conference