ASTM approves new biodiesel blends, bring on the B20!
Fans of biodiesel have reason for a small celebration as this week as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) voted to approve a standard for B20 biodiesel. ASTM controls the standards for commercially available fuels (among many other things) to ensure that what is sold at the pump meets certain minimum requirements for performance and content. Automakers test all of their vehicles with ASTM standard fuels validate, performance efficiency and durability of the components. Until now, there was only a standard for commercial biodiesel blends up to 5 percent. Chrysler, among others, has been shipping diesel-powered vehicles from the factory filled with B5 for several years and warranties engines when used with B5. Now that the B20 standard has been ratified most carmakers, including Chrysler and Volkswagen, have indicated that they will test their diesel engines and modify them if necessary so that they can be covered by the warranty when operated with B20. ASTM also approved standards for the use of up to 5 percent biodiesel in standard diesel fuels. Those of you choosing to run on the cast-offs from fast food joints and Chinese restaurants are still on your own for now.
[Source: National Biodiesel Board]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mik_Cal 12:19AM (6/23/2008)
When will the writers of these articles stop pandering to the biofuels community? The exclamation point in the title indicates a sense of support for a measure that may do net harm to the environment and the food economy. Until they have SUSTAINABLE BIOFUEL STANDARDS and NOTHING ELSE will biofuels be GREEN....OK? ASTM is just a mechanical standard nothing to do with whether it is green.
Reply
Karkus 1:08PM (6/23/2008)
I like B5 because it helps cut emissions from diesels (not because it's a "biofuel".) From that perspective, it would be great if the whole fuel supply could be brought up to B2 or B5.
However, going beyond B5 doesn't do much more for pollution. Furthermore, getting the whole fuel supply to B20 will never happen, because we don't have enough spare farmland to grow that much stuff. So B20 standards are useless. First we should try to make the whole country B5.
Reply
TDI_NICK 9:55PM (6/25/2008)
Great news ABG! I like using B20 so the ASTM stamp of approval is great. Now let's hope VW, *BMW*, Nissan, MB, *Subaru*, Honda get on board with B20. Let the consumer decide if they want to put B0, B5 or B20 in the tank. A lot of "green" labels today are just feel good hype. Biodiesel is a waste product. I want to burn American sourced fuel and now I'll know that 20% of the fuel is that!
Reply
Dawn Fenton 12:47PM (6/27/2008)
This is indeed good news for diesel drivers since B20 can help further reduce CO2 and other emissions provided the fuel quality is high and the ASTM standards are met.
These benefits will grow even more when renewable diesel fuel - made from the same feedstocks but through a different process - becomes available in the next couple of years. This fuel will offer further C)2 benefits and best of all, it will be able to be transported through existing pipelines since it meets the same ASTM standard for petroleum diesel.
Reply