Biodiesel

NREL Survey Shows 90% of Biodiesel Samples Met ASTM Specs in 2007

Date Posted: May. 07, 2008

By Myke Feinman, BioFuels Journal Editor

A sampling of biodiesel from plants across the United States indicates that overall quality has improved, but there are still quality lapses, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO.

The vast majority of the samples taken between April and November 2007 met the American Society of Testing and Materials International (ASTM) D6751 specifications, according to NREL Chemist Teresa Alleman.

"Our analyses found that roughly 90% of the biodiesel we collected was on spec," Alleman said.

She added that "several samples were grossly out of specification."

Those results are higher than a previous sample taken in 2006 which resulted in just 41% of the samples on spec.

Whereas the 2006 samples were collected from terminals, the 2007 samples were taken directly from biodiesel producers.

Alleman said that 56 biodiesel companies voluntarily provided samples from 107 plants.

She said 38 told the NREL that no product was available and of the 13 remaining, eight producers declined to provide samples, and five did not respond.

"Our survey showed that biodiesel could meet specifications regardless of producer size and/or feedstock," Alleman noted.

She said both the 2006 and 2007 samplings give the industry an "accurate snapshot" of the quality of the fuel being produced at biodiesel plants.

"Adherence to quality specifications needs to be a core value for the industry and they need to shoot for 100% perfection 100% of the time," Alleman said.

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