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Biodiesel Confusion
The diesel
fuel/biodiesel market has recently gotten a lot more confusing. We now have
another Federal agency involved in the diesel fuel marketplace.
The Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) has now created labeling requirements for diesel and
biodiesel.
These
requirements have wide ranging consequences for all diesel fuel users.
First,
diesel fuel may now contain up to 5% biodiesel or biomass-based diesel with no
retail labeling required as long as the blended product meets ASTM D975 (note:
ASTM D975 is being changed to allow up 5% biodiesel/biomass-based diesel to be
blended as part of a diesel fuel).
Second,
there are (according to the FTC) now two types of biodiesel, the first is the
one most people are familiar with, where a plant, seed or animal derived oil is
through transestrification converted to a Methyl Ester that is defined by ASTM
D6751 and commonly referred to as biodiesel. The other is known as
?Biomass-based Diesel?, this a fuel derived from biomass that does not contain
Methyl Esters (note: there currently is not an ASTM specification for this
product).
Third,
effective December 16th, 2008, all retail fuel pumps are subject to
the following labeling requirements based on Section 205 of the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA):
Fuel blends
containing no more than five percent (5%) biodiesel or no more than five percent
(5%) biomass-based diesel and that meet ASTM D975 require no label.
Fuel blends
containing more than five percent (5%), but no more than twenty percent (20%)
biodiesel require a dispenser label 3?w x 2.5?h with a Blue background and a Bxx
reporting the exact percentage or ?Between B5 and B20? statement.
Fuel blends
containing more than twenty percent (20%) biodiesel require a dispenser label
with a Blue background and a Bxx reporting the exact percentage or ?Containing
more than 20% biodiesel statement.
Biodiesel
that is ?neat? or B100 must be labeled as ?B100 Biodiesel? and ?Contains 100
percent Biodiesel? on a Blue background.
Fuel blends
containing more than five percent (5%), but no more than twenty percent (20%)
biomass-based diesel require a dispenser label 3?w x 2.5?h with an Orange
background and text reporting the exact percentage or ?Between 5% and 20%
Biomass-based Diesel? text statement.
Fuel blends
containing more than twenty percent (20%) biodiesel require a dispenser label
with an Orange background and text reporting the exact percentage or ?Containing
more than 20% Biomass-based Diesel? statement.
Biomass-based Diesel that is ?neat? or 100% must be labeled as ?100%
Biomass-based Diesel? on an Orange background.
Note: You should visit the
FTC website at:
www.ftc.gov at look at:
16 CFR Part
306 - RIN #3084-AA45
for more complete information
on these requirements.
What this means in the real
world is that suppliers can now add up to 5% biodiesel in retail fuels without
notification to customers.
If you want biodiesel and have
done your homework on what is required to successfully and safely use this fuel
you should note what you want as you order your fuel.
If you do not want any
biodiesel you should issue a written purchase order to your supplier telling
them exactly what you want, e.g. no biodiesel. Note: under the new ASTM D975
spec, 5% is allowed.
You can get the FTC final rule in pdf format by clicking
here.
Enertech Labs, Inc. offers a
wide range of products for diesel, biodiesel, biomass-based diesel, heating, and
industrial fuels. Check out our EnerFlow? line of products for biofuels.
If you would like more
information or if you would like help in adapting to these new rules, please
contact your Enertech Labs representative.
Send mail to
sales@enertechlabs.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Enertech Labs, Inc.
Last modified:
01/12/09
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