Biodiesel is fuel that is made from renewable resources including used vegetable oil from restaurants, or virgin oil from agricultural crops such as sunflower, canola, camelina, industrial hemp or soy.  Unlike fossil fuels, biodiesel is renewable and can be produced domestically.  Biodiesel is simple to use and better for the environment because it is biodegradable, nontoxic, and has significantly lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel.  Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in older diesel engines with little or no modification, and in newer diesel vehicles with no modification.

Why is SBA Focusing on Biodiesel and Not Biofuels?

The SBA was created by the biodiesel community to educate the public about sustainable biodiesel.  Since our area of expertise is biodiesel, we decided we would be most effective in focusing on what we know, biodiesel.

Biodiesel is a key renewable fuel because:

1. Existing infrastructure – Biodiesel can be used with little or no modification in existing diesel vehicles and therefore readily help the U.S. transition to renewable fuels. 

Key U.S. Transportation Sectors that use biodiesel include:

1. Commercial Trucking Fleets
2. City and County Public Buses
3. School Buses
4. Personal diesel vehicles

More FAQ’s to come in the upcoming weeks.