On September 10, the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) hosted Senator Laura Murphy and newly appointed Representative Nicolle Grasse at the Arlington Heights fleet facility. Arlington Heights is a proud member of the B20 Club of Illinois. This visit showcased how the village, for the last 20 years, has been leading the charge in lowering carbon emissions through its use of biodiesel blends. Since implementing B20 and higher biodiesel blends, the fleet has significantly reduced its environmental impact while maintaining performance benefits such as improved fuel lubricity and similar or better fuel efficiency.
The American Lung Association and ISA partnered in 2014 to form the B20 Club. Over the last 10 years, the B20 Club has been at the forefront of promoting biodiesel use across Illinois. Its members, like the Village of Arlington Heights, have played a vital role in improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. During the visit, Senator Murphy and Representative Grasse learned about the economic, environmental, and public health benefits of biodiesel, as well as the ease of integrating these fuels into existing fleet operations.
With Illinois producing almost 200 million gallons of biodiesel annually and consumption expected to increase steadily over the next few years, facilities like the Arlington Heights fleet are helping drive the state’s shift toward a more sustainable future. The visit highlighted not just the successes but also the future potential for biodiesel to serve as a key solution in decarbonizing Illinois’ transportation sector.
The B20 Club in its entirety contains:
- 3,650 vehicles, vessels, and locomotives fueled with B20+ biodiesel
- 258,844 tons of carbon reduced
- The equivalent of 3.37 million trees planted
- 128,714 pounds of particulate matter emissions avoided
