From major trucking and vehicle fleets to single van delivery services, potential biodiesel customers demand assurance that biodiesel will support their operations with seamless integration. The key is quality. The National Biodiesel Board's Quality Assurance program works to address fuel quality concerns and take proactive steps to promote fuel quality.

Consistent production of quality biodiesel is critical to the industry's success. The NBB's Quality Assurance program facilitated the creation of BQ-9000, a voluntary fuel quality assurance program, overseen by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC). BQ-9000 couples the foundations of universally accepted quality management systems with the product specification ASTM D 6751, and has become the premier quality designation in the industry.

The program covers storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution and fuel management practices. Any biodiesel producer or marketer is eligible to become a BQ-9000 Producer or BQ-9000 Marketer. Currently there are 16 BQ-9000-certified marketers and 37 BQ-9000-certified producers. Last year BQ-9000 producers manufactured more the half of the biodiesel produced in the county.

The NBAC also recently released a new certification for commercial laboratories that analyze biodiesel.

Assuring a quality product is vital to biodiesel's future, and the NBB remains best-positioned to orchestrate these continuing efforts.