Canadian Bioenergy achieves BQ-9000

Canadian Bioenergy Corp. recently became the first BQ-9000 Certified Marketer of biodiesel in Canada. BQ-9000 is a voluntary fuel quality assurance program, adopted by the National Biodiesel Board and the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association. Producers and marketers are eligible to become either an Accredited Producer or Certified Marketer under BQ-9000.

"Quality is everything-it's always been our top priority and the BQ-9000 process was a natural evolution for our operations," said Alex Russell, assistant director of fuel operations at Canadian Bioenergy. "Our customers, from coast to coast, have consistently told us how critical it is to their success, as end-users and as resellers."

Russell has spent the past two years developing quality systems which adhere to the BQ-9000 protocols.

BQ-9000 couples the foundation of universally-accepted quality management systems with the product specification ASTM D 6751. It has become the premier quality designation in the industry. The program covers storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution and fuel management practices.

"This is the direction we're going in Canada to make sure biodiesel is as successful here as it is in Europe and the United States," said Ian Thomson, president of Canadian Bioenergy and the Alberta Biodiesel Association. "If there's a quality issue, it hurts the entire industry. We have made great progress in the past year on quality across North America. The combination of BQ-9000 accredited production with BQ-9000 certified marketing has become critical to large end-users."

Canadian Bioenergy is a biodiesel distributor, but has announced plans to construct a biodiesel production facility on land adjacent to a canola crushing and refining plant near Edmonton, Alberta. More information about the company is available at www.canadianbioenergy.com.

Oregon makes biodiesel commitment
Oregonians will soon be burning less fossil fuels. Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed the Oregon renewable fuel standard (RFS) in July that requires the use of biodiesel in the state. The law, which establishes renewable fuel use requirements for gasoline and diesel, as well as other actions, will take effect this fall.

It will require all diesel fuel sold in Oregon to be at least a B2 biodiesel blend when the production of biodiesel in Oregon from feedstock sources in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana reaches a level of at least 5 MMgy for at least three months. The use requirement jumps to B5 when the production of biodiesel in Oregon, from the same sources, reaches at least 15 MMgy.

Oregon's RFS defines biodiesel as "a motor vehicle fuel consisting of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils, animal fats or other non-petroleum resources, not including palm oil, designated as B100 and complying with ASTM D 6751." However "other renewable diesel" is defined and may be used to meet the RFS requirement, although palm oil cannot be used to meet the RFS.

On the sales side, all retail, non-retail and wholesale dealers in Oregon are required to provide a certificate of analysis for biodiesel received.

There are also property tax exemptions for in-state facilities producing ethanol, biofuel (including biodiesel) or certain fuel additives. The law also creates an income tax credit for production or collection of biomass used to produce biofuel. It also creates an income tax credit for consumer use of biofuel blends or straight biofuel.

Member profile: Westfalia Separator Inc.
"Take the best; separate the rest," is the corporate theme of Westfalia Separator Inc., a NBB member that provides complete biodiesel process lines and feedstock pre-treatment systems.

Westfalia Biodiesel Market Manager Constantine Triculis is based in the company's U.S. headquarters in Northvale, N.J. "Our company has been in biodiesel processing since 1991, when we began process line development work for what is now known as CD [Connemann diesel] process," Triculis said. "This was a natural evolution for Westfalia as a result of over 50 years in edible oil market and our goal of expanding into process lines."

Westfalia was founded in Oelde, Germany, in the late 1800s. Westfalia Separator began manufacturing centrifuges in 1893. Its entry into biodiesel was as a partner with a German oil mill in order to construct a production facility utilizing a truly continuous process suitable for large capacity plants. Currently, there are 14 biodiesel operating plants employing the CD process worldwide with another 19 in the engineering, construction or start-up phase.

By the end of 2007, it is estimated that plants using CD technology will account for more than 2.4 million metric tons of B100.

Centrifuges are at the core of the CD process and are also employed in numerous other unit operations within biodiesel plants. They employ very high g-forces to mechanically separate liquid/liquid suspensions or solid/liquid mixtures very quickly and with a high degree of efficiency.

Westfalia Separator is committed to the renewable fuels market and has been a strong supporter of NBB by sponsoring its conferences. Company representatives say Westfalia plans to be more directly involved with the NBB with a focus on identifying and resolving technical issues today and in the future.

More information on Westfalia Separator Inc. is available at www.wsus.com.

Methanol matters: Register for October webinar workshop
In continuing its educational efforts on methanol safety, the NBB has been working with Methanex, the world's largest methanol producer, to present a series of webinars on safety. The next webinar will be presented Oct. 24.

The webinars help raise awareness about existing legal, environmental and safety requirements. It is critical that biodiesel producers are fully aware of any risks and regulations. Attendees will learn of other available resources as well.

George Wellon, manager for responsible care for Methanex, will lead the program. The free workshop will be open to NBB members and other methanol handlers. Please register at www.gotomeeting.com/register/712325174.

The NBB began offering the webinars last year, recognizing methanol safety as a serious issue deserving focus. More methanol safety training sessions will be offered as needed. Methanex, an NBB member, is headquartered in Canada.

Washington watch: House farm bill promotes biodiesel
The House of Representatives in late July approved HR 2419, the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007-better known as the farm bill-by 231-191. Among its many provisions, the legislation reauthorizes the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Bioenergy Program and the Biodiesel Education Program.

The Farm Bill was approved unanimously by the House Committee on Agriculture, however, its passage in the full House was not without controversy. As a result of provisions unrelated to biodiesel in the underlying bill, the administration has threatened a veto of the bill if it is sent to President George W. Bush in its current form.

The NBB supported House passage of the farm bill. The CCC Bioenergy Program has made a significant contribution to the viability of the U.S. biodiesel industry. The program is critical for biodiesel producers because it makes the purchase of domestic feedstocks needed to produce biodiesel more affordable. Feedstock costs represent roughly 80 percent of overall production costs for the biodiesel industry, and the CCC Bioenergy Program is a vital tool to help U.S. producers offset rising feedstock prices. Additionally, reauthorization of the Biodiesel Education Program at a funding level of $2 million per year, as contained in the bill, will play a critical role in improving consumer awareness and support of the fuel.

A robust CCC Bioenergy Program and the Biodiesel Education Program are critical components of an effort to make biodiesel a significant part of an ever-growing and diversified energy portfolio. Today, there are nearly 60 billion gallons of diesel fuel used per year in the United States. By comparison, biodiesel is an environmentally safe fuel alternative and is one of the most viable transportation fuels when measuring its carbon footprint, life-cycle and energy balance. The USDA's life-cycle study shows a 78.4 percent reduction in life-cycle carbon dioxide for B100. In 2006, biodiesel's contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions was equal to removing 350,000 passenger vehicles from America's roadways. Promoting the production and use of biodiesel through programs like the CCC Bioenergy Program and the Biodiesel Education Program will allow the United States to realize the environmental benefits of biodiesel and promote energy independence.

The Senate will consider its version of the farm bill after Congress returns from its August District Work Period. As the legislative process moves forward, the NBB will work to build on progress made in the House farm bill and will continue to advocate a strong CCC Bioenergy Program that provides a stable per-gallon support for producers.

Petroleum, biodiesel workshops coming to a state near you
Various areas of the country will host biodiesel workshops for petroleum distributors, thanks to grants awarded to select Clean Cities Coalitions. These U.S. DOE program coalitions will educate petroleum marketers, fleet managers and other officials about biodiesel fuel quality and ideal management practices.

The Maryland Energy Administration, Clean Cities Program and the National Biodiesel Foundation teamed up to award grants to Ohio, New Mexico, South Carolina, Virginia, Philadelphia and Denver. Other areas include Columbia and Willamette, Ore., Puget Sound and the Triangle area in North Carolina. The goal of the seminars and Clean Cities is to increase the use of alternative fuels in metropolitan areas.

The workshops, which began in July, run through Oct. 31, with some of the awardees presenting encore workshops. The scheduled workshops are as follows:
› North Carolina: Sept. 18, and Oct. 24
› New Mexico: Aug. 17
› Oregon: Sept. 19
› South Carolina: Sept. 19
› Ohio: Sept. 19 and 20
› North Carolina: Oct. 24

For a complete list of dates and locations, visit www.biodiesel.org/events. The National Biodiesel Foundation was created to conduct outreach, education, research and demonstrations for the advancement of biodiesel and its coproducts.

NBB relocates D.C. office
The NBB's Washington D.C. office has moved. You can now find the team at:

National Biodiesel Board
1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 512
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 737-8801

NBB welcomes new members
Canadian Bioenergy Corp.-North Vancouver, B.C.
Iowa Renewable Energy LLC-Washington, Iowa
Direct Fuels-Euless, Texas
Summit Biodiesel LLC-Orlando, Fla.