The Birth of American Biodiesel
renewable diesel ] used in the U . S . in 2020 .”
Following those early days of B2 or B5 low-level blends of Bioheat fuel , significant testing , demonstrations , and R & D ensued — much like in the early days of NBB when the board was focused on testing , testing , testing , and demonstrating the fuel in any engine or fleet it could . This couldn ’ t have been done without Howell ’ s leadership in ASTM . Eventually , much like B5 in the on-road diesel fuel spec ASTM D975 , B5 was approved in the heating-oil spec , ASTM D396 , without labeling or notice . This means the fuel can have up to 5 percent biodiesel without the need to advise customers or buyers . Later , blends of 6 to 20 percent ( now registered as “ Bioheat Plus ” fuel ) were also incorporated into D396 , but as a separate grade . Standards for blends above B20 , “ Bioheat Super Plus ,” are currently being developed .
In the Northeast , 17,000 oil heat systems already use B50 and higher blends , according to a NORA survey . Howell points out that owners of these systems wouldn ’ t keep using B50 if it didn ’ t work . However , technical standards cannot be set on anecdotal evidence . NBB , NORA , and the Bioheat fuel technical community are conducting work to obtain the necessary information required to secure standards for B50 and B100 , though not yet through ASTM .
NORA has created developmental fuel specifications for B50 and B100 . The only difference between biodiesel ’ s ASTM D6751 specification and the developmental fuel spec for Bioheat Super Plus fuel in B100 form is the oxidative reserve time . D6751 calls for a three-hour reserve ( Rancimat test ), whereas the B100 developmental fuel spec for Bioheat Super Plus fuel is six hours . All other parameters in the B100 spec , ASTM D6751 , have been fine-tuned over the past two decades .
All of these developments are leading up to much greater use and higher concentrations of biodiesel in heating oil per the socalled Providence Resolution , named after the city ( Providence , Rhode Island ) where , in 2019 , a coalition of Northeast heatingoil associations congregated for an annual event . The measure calls for a 15 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2023 , 40 percent by 2030 , and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 . They plan to achieve this , for the most part , with Bioheat Plus fuel and Bioheat Super Plus fuel . B20 will provide the 15 percent carbon reduction needed in 2023 , whereas B50 will cut 40 percent of carbon emissions by 2030 . By 2050 , B100 made from low carbon-intensity feedstock will get the heating oil industry to 80 percent carbon reduction .
Other measures , such as carbon offsets , will be required to achieve net-zero status . NBB is undertaking major efforts in this regard . The heating-oil sector “ wants Bioheat fuel now and fast ,” notes Anderson . “ It led to the Providence Resolution , which I was privileged enough to be on NORA ’ s board for and work with that team to advance this . It ’ s incredible how committed they are to this fuel .” Anderson describes how one person back East commented , “ This is a tremendous commitment by soybean farmers to invest in us . Would we have done the same for them ? I doubt it .”
The vision , this commitment — they weren ’ t Anderson ’ s or Bohuslavsky ’ s alone , or even just Nebraska ’ s . It was much bigger than that . The vision of biodiesel and the commitment to develop it and penetrate every conceivable market , Anderson maintains , came from America ’ s soybean farmers efforts to the nation — to help businesses like those in the heating-oil industry flourish . “ This is America ’ s fuel , not just the Midwest ’ s . It benefits everyone . That ’ s the commitment our Nebraska board had , especially as I moved onto the United Soybean Board and was chairman of USB in 2005 . Then , the biodiesel volumes were still relatively low . I helped educate members of USB on this emerging market and that it was worth putting checkoff dollars toward . And that took root .”
Nazzaro says as cool as the “ Soy Soldiers ” name was nearly 20 years ago , “ it wouldn ’ t be as cool today .” Back then , the feedstock landscape was much narrower . “‘ Soy Soldiers is a corny name and concept . Today , the industry is very focused on multiple feedstocks .”
Even so , Bioheat was simple yet profound . “ I get bored quickly ,” Nazzaro admits . “ I don ’ t like to sit around doing the same thing . I keep the conversation going for NBB ’ til I win . The attributes of biodiesel haven ’ t changed but have grown in importance these past few decades . Well , it ’ s better quality , but the limitations of biodiesel ’ s success lie in the neurological viewpoint of those that sell it . If they view it as a commodity , it will always be a commodity . The only thing that holds biodiesel back is the petroleum industry ’ s inability to grasp the value of the molecule . I hate to see biodiesel just become a blendstock , where they just get rid of it in the supply chain .”
Next to Howell and Weber , Nazzaro is one of NBB ’ s longeststanding advisors . “ I ’ ve seen it all ,” he declares . “ But I see it from a different perspective . I ’ m an East Coast guy . Have I seen the struggle ? Of course . I see the debate every year . If there ’ s a bad year in soybeans , maybe the funding wasn ’ t there . But Nebraska has always been bullish . They ’ ve rarely said ‘ no ’ to funding projects . Why ? Because they believe in it .”
As far as biodiesel has come , and as much as people like Nazzaro believe in it , the industry is far from mature . “ There ’ s maybe 1,200 to 1,500 petroleum terminals across the country . We ’ re in less than 300 of them ,” Nazzaro explains . “ I ’ ve been doing this for more than 25 years . Why do only 282 terminals have ratio blenders for blending biodiesel ? Why are we not everywhere ?”
One big reason , according to Nazzaro , is industry uncertainty . “ The tax credit comes and goes , comes and goes . When it goes , people sit on their hands . When it comes , it ’ s all hands on deck . That ’ s hurt us quite a bit . No one wants to invest if there ’ s no stability .” He doesn ’ t like the fact that biodiesel is a “ policy fuel ,” but it is what it is . Nazzaro says the soybean groups continue to invest in biodiesel because the work is not done , and it has increased the value of their products . “ This is long ball ,” he notes . “ This is not a short game . If anyone remotely thinks about pulling the plug , that would be a bad call .”
The farmers have gone to bat for Nazzaro , and Nazzaro says he does the same for them . “ Nebraska , Minnesota , Illinois , South Dakota , Wisconsin — how do you not fight for someone who has committed funds to you and trusts you ?” he asks .
Asked at what point it was clear in his mind that biodiesel had “ made it ” and had become a success , Nazzaro says , “ I haven ’ t
20 FEBRUARY 2023 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www . fueloilnews . com