The Newer, Better, Higher-performing Biodiesel
Better for engines. Better for economies. Better for the environment. Today’s biodiesel offers so many benefits for fleets, fuel retailers, drivers and more that it beats out standard diesel by a mile. Biodiesel is made from a diverse set of renewable feedstocks such as soybean oil, used cooking oil, animal fats and distillers corn oil from ethanol plants. Biodiesel reduces harmful greenhouse gases while also delivering high-quality performance you can trust all year long.
Check These Biodiesel Benefits
Reliable Engine Performance
Today’s biodiesel is a reliable, high-performance fuel that works in any diesel engine without modifications. It doesn’t hamper fuel efficiency nor create engine maintenance problems. Due to its superior lubricity, biodiesel reduces engine wear and contains higher cetane for enhanced power. It also offers engine cleaning properties.
Economical Operation
Retail biodiesel consumers in Illinois save money. Blends over B10 are exempt from the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax. Recently passed legislation increases the blend threshold from blends over B10 to blends over B13 in 2024, over B16 in 2025 and over B19 in 2026. Renewable diesel also qualifies under the updated legislation.
All-Weather Fuel
Since 2003, vehicles fueled with biodiesel have logged billions of problem-free miles in all kinds of Illinois weather, including sub-zero temperatures. That means users can gain the economic, environmental and health benefits of biodiesel 365 days of the year.
Sustainable Fleet Operation
Fleets across Illinois depend on biodiesel to reduce their carbon emissions with their pre-existing diesel vehicles and without having to modify any infrastructure. Members of the B20 Club represent progressive fleets that use B20 and above for at least 6 months per year. These fleets come from the private and public sector and operate a large collection of different vehicle types, from lawn mowers to school buses, barges and cement trucks.
Cleaner, Healthier Air
Compared with regular diesel fuel, biodiesel has significantly fewer emissions of particulate matter and other harmful pollutants. In fact, biodiesel is labeled a Clean Air Choice® by the American Lung Association. Calculations show that using biodiesel can reduce a community’s overall health costs by reducing risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases.
Reduced Carbon Emissions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated biodiesel an advanced biofuel, which means it reduces CO2 by at least 50% compared to fossil fuel diesel. In fact, a single gallon of biodiesel reduces carbon dioxide by 74% and is the cheapest and easiest way to reduce CO2 in heavy duty vehicles.
Jobs for Illinois
Illinois is one of the largest biodiesel-producing states. Biodiesel production supports nearly 2,000 jobs in all sectors of the Illinois economy. Between 2004 and 2015, the Illinois biodiesel industry generated $1.6 billion of household income and was responsible for more than $3 billion of Illinois Gross Domestic Product.
Made in U.S.A.
Illinois is the 4th largest producer of biodiesel in the US with an annual production capacity of 192 million gallons. Producing fuel in the USA decreases reliance on foreign imports and helps provide domestic energy security.