Posted March 16, 2010

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the National Biodiesel Board are holding a one-day event, called the Pennsylvania Biofuel Development Conference, on April 20. The purpose of the conference will be to provide information to biodiesel producers on what should be expected when the state's B2 mandate goes into effect May 1.

The mandate is based on trigger points, so when instate production-not installed capacity but actual production volumes-reaches 100 MMgy, the Pennsylvania biodiesel standard will move from B2 to B5. Keystone Biofuels' Ben Wootten, also president of the Pennsylvania Biodiesel Producers Group, said installed biodiesel production capacity in Pennsylvania is currently 114 MMgy.

The B2 mandate is for on-road diesel fuel only, but Wootten, who just accepted the position of regulatory chair for the National Biodiesel Board, said Bioheat legislation was just recently proposed, Senate Bill 1282, which would seek a B5 mandate for all heating oil sold in Pennsylvania beginning May 2011.

Justin Fleming, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, told Biodiesel Magazine that the April 20 event will host sessions focusing on statewide biodiesel distribution systems, best practices to ensure fuel quality, testing methods and more.

The conference will be held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Pennsylvania's capital city of Harrisburg. To register for the show, or for more information, contact Michael Radar at (717) 787-9089.