Biodiesel is a hot topic in the industry, but feedstock neutrality is an even hotter issue of debate.
While everyone awaits the outcome of Congress’ energy package and whether it will include feedstock neutrality for biodiesel credits, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) continues to be soy-friendly, promoting biodiesel produced from soy and other plant crops instead of taking a feedstock neutral position.
Case in point – the Naval Base Ventura County in Point Hueneme, CA, recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a biodiesel production facility that will use recycled cooking oil from the base. But Joe Jobe, NBB’s executive director, who flew from Missouri to California for the festivities, is indirectly quoted in a Los Angeles Times article as saying it was appropriate that the facility was at a California military base, since California is the nation’s largest agricultural producer and could lead the way in planting crops, such as rapeseed or soybeans, that produce oils for biodiesel.
An NBB press release on the Navy’s biodiesel facility states, “Biodiesel can be made from any fat or vegetable oil, such as soybean oil.” Where is the feedstock neutrality in that statement?
In addition to many biodiesel producers who use recycled cooking oil in the production of their fuel, nearly a half-dozen renderers are members of NBB, contributing membership dollars and support to an association whose mission is to “increase the demand of commercially produced biodiesel in the United States through education, communication, and quality assurance programs and by serving as the national coordinating entity and clearinghouse of information.”
Perhaps NBB needs to reread their mission statement. After all, biodiesel will only displace five to 10 percent of foreign oil, so there’s plenty of opportunity for everyone.
December 2003 Render