In response to mounting concerns about global warming and the United States dependence on foreign oil, biodiesel production, and the production of other biofuels are growing rapidly. This shift from fossil fuels to biofuels has the potential to reduce global warming emissions, lessen the United States dependence on petroleum and create new jobs for rural and urban communities.

To assure that biodiesel achieves these goals, it is critical that biodiesel production be done in an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable manner. These draft principles, presented by the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance for discussion, revision and eventual adoption, are a first step towards identifying through a broad stakeholder process, the key sustainability concerns around biofuels, specifically biodiesel production in the United States. These principles were the building blocks for the current draft of the Baseline Practices for Sustainability. This document (BPS) is the product of a 42 member stakeholder workgroup process. The SBA brought together experts, academics and biodiesel stakeholders from across the country to create a set of baseline practices as a starting point for a Sustainable Biodiesel certification system.

This important document was available for public comment for a 60 day period in which time the SBA gathered valuable feedback from biodiesel users and stakeholders nation wide. In September the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance hosted the first Sustainable Biodiesel Stakeholders Summit in Austin, Texas. This event was an opportunity for the public and those involved in the workgroup process to discuss the feedback collected through the comment period and incorporate these changes into the document. Now the SBA is making these Baseline Practices for Sustainability available to the general public for review, please understand the SBA relies on the support of our members and their donations to help further the mission of sustainability in biodiesel. If the mission of the SBA is important to you, please use the link below to become a member and make a donation.

To become a member of the SBA please click here and follow the instructions on screen.

To view a copy of the current draft of the Baseline Practices for Sustainability please click here.