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Dear Daniel, Portland, Oregon has more than once been named the greenest city in the world, and biodiesel is a key part of the City's strategy to keep it that way. The City has used a minimum of 20 percent biodiesel in its fleet of several hundred diesel vehicles since 2004.
"We are absolutely committed to biodiesel," said Michele Crim, Sustainable Government Policy and Program Manager for the City of Portland. "People who know the facts on biodiesel know science supports that it is cleaner burning and better for the environment compared to petroleum diesel."
Portland uses biodiesel made from canola, a local crop, and waste grease, and has also used soy biodiesel.
"To maximize economic development, we prioritize using regional crops," Crim said.
"We commend Portland and hundreds of other fleets for maintaining their commitment to sustainable biodiesel," said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. "At the same time, we are disappointed that a few other fleets have inadvertently sacrificed biodiesel's many benefits, because they had bad information about biodiesel and the food supply, or other myths."
For example, soy biodiesel does not negatively impact the food supply because soybeans are grown primarily for their 80 percent protein meal, used in food and livestock feed. Biodiesel is made only from the other 20 percent of the bean, the oil portion.
"The reality is that biodiesel made from vegetable oil and other resources is a sustainable, cleaner alternative fuel that promotes food security and has strong global environmental benefits," Jobe said.
In an effort to let the facts stand against biodiesel myths, NBB has published a new document, "Biodiesel Myths: Busted". It provides accurate information about the false claims that have been leveled against biodiesel in recent months. The NBB is also contacting fleets to urge them to get the facts and not be persuaded by myths.
Another biodiesel myth has to do with land use. The fact is that since most crops are not grown specifically for biodiesel, no new cropland needs to be brought into production.
Greenpeace recently stated, "Biodiesel demand for soy oil is not seen as a significant driver of Amazon deforestation."
In fact, data show that land area used for soybean production in Brazil actually decreased between 2004 and 2009, while U.S. biodiesel production climbed to 700 million gallons a year. Biodiesel is among the most powerful tools to fight carbon emission, chipping away at the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions-fossil fuels. In fact biodiesel has a 78 percent life cycle carbon reduction according to the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy.
Based in Jefferson City, Mo., NBB, is the national trade association of the biodiesel industry.
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