Journal of Bioremediation & Biodegradation
Open Access

Abstract

Representing the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and the U.S. Biodiesel Industry, Ryan Lamberg proposes to provide an update on U.S Biodiesel markets and trends, with a special focus on sustainability. The NBB is the national trade association that represents the biodiesel and renewable hydrocarbon diesel industries as the coordinating body for research and development in the U.S. It was founded in 1992 and has developed into a comprehensive association that coordinates and interacts with industry, government and academia. NBB’s membership is comprised of biodiesel producers, feedstock and feedstock-processor organizations, fuel marketers and distributors, and technology providers. Biodiesel is a renewable, cleanburning diesel replacement that is reducing U.S. dependence on imported petroleum, creating green jobs and improving our environment. It is made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources including agricultural oils, recycled cooking oil and animal fats and meets the strict specifications of ASTM D6751. Transportation is now our nation’s largest source of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). As other sectors find pathways to reduction, transportation and especially the heavy-duty sector will remain largely reliant on petroleum for years to come. Not all fuels are alike. Not all vehicles are alike. And not all duty cycles are alike. For each duty cycle, there is a vehicle that can be more efficient and consume more renewable fuel in cleaner technologies. Yet, this is especially difficult for the heavy-duty sector. The U.S. is consuming over 180 BILLION gallons of gasoline (~135 BILLION) and diesel (~60 BILLION) every year. Even with scheduled efficiencies on the horizon, our population and energy demands increase. If we are lucky, many passenger cars may eventually transition to electric vehicles on a clean grid AND simultaneously reduce carbon by embracing Biodiesel in all diesel applications. Biodiesel and other advanced biofuels are scientifically proven, commercially available and help dramatically reduce GHGs in the hardest to reach sectors where other alternative fuels and vehicles are not readily available. 400+ U.S. mayors and 20+ U.S. states have 80% percent reduction climate goals by 2050 will not be accomplished by electric vehicles alone. All renewable fuels can play a role, especially when considering Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to help us differentiate between carbon intensities of fuels. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard in California is one example that uses LCA and is spreading along the west coast making quantifiable reductions with low carbon fuels. For example, the diesel pool in California is approximately 14% biomass based diesel fuel TODAY. Biodiesel is America’s first Advanced alternative and renewable biofuel. Over the last decade, US biodiesel production has grown to more than 2 billion gallons per year. Government agencies and national laboratories have determined that biodiesel has significant lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Over time, these studies have more accurately quantified additional impacts such as Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC). The science is clear; reductions are anywhere from 50 to 122 percent below petroleum diesel. Myths such as the food versus fuel false dilemma muddy the waters. Biofuels were developed to utilize the excess carbohydrates and fats coproduced with protein. Awareness of these co-product relationships, can also inform us about smart choices for optimizing the nitrogen cycle, water use efficiency, and prevention of soil loss and degradation as we meet the growing global demand for protein. A new study on biodiesel’s lifecycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission effects updates and reaffirms the long-understood benefits of using the renewable fuel. The study is the latest in the significant body of transparent, peer-reviewed, studies that conclusively quantify biodiesel’s widespread benefits. The report, recently published by a collaboration between Argonne National Laboratory, Purdue University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), represents the most up-to-date and comprehensive lifecycle analysis of biodiesel ever produced. Results confirm that biodiesel compared to petroleum diesel reduces GHG emissions by 72 percent and fossil fuel use by 80 percent.

Biography

As the Executive Director of the California Biodiesel Initiative, Ryan Lamberg works in tandem with the National Biodiesel Board, the California Biodiesel Alliance and regional NGOs to support increased production and consumption of biodiesel. Lamberg is a co-founder of Community Fuels, one of California's largest biodiesel production facilities. He also helped initiate the California Biodiesel Alliance in 2006. Lamberg has a technical background in renewable fuels, business development and energy efficiency including the Energy Upgrade California program

E-mail: jorlygs@unak.is