Fuel Performance and Emissions Facts Your Truckstop Customers Care About

A B20 blend (20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent petroleum diesel) has been shown to reduce particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions by more than 10 percent and unburned hydrocarbons by more than 20 percent in heavy-duty highway engines.
More
Fuel Performance and Emissions Facts Your Truckstop Customers Care About
 

I’ve blogged in the past about how biodiesel benefits travel centers and truck stops. But you should also know that it’s good for your customers.

More and more trucking companies are establishing sustainability goals, and so are their customers. Reducing emissions is one of the most impactful ways to meet these goals.

A B20 blend (20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent petroleum diesel) has been shown to reduce particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions by more than 10 percent and unburned hydrocarbons by more than 20 percent in heavy-duty highway engines.

REG ran some calculations to compare greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions among different fuels. Here’s how much higher various fuels increase GHG compared to B100 (100 percent biodiesel) from Renewable Energy Group. (REG calculations based on REG biodiesel produced from used cooking oil and based on the CA-GREET model.)

  • 580% with petroleum diesel
  • 435% with compressed natural gas
  • 550% with an electric vehicle with coal-derived electricity
  • 195% with an electric vehicle with natural gas-derived electricity

The Proof Is in the Performance
Trucking companies always have performance in mind, and biodiesel can help with that too.

Biodiesel meets ASTM specifications, which are set by a committee of more than 2,500 industry experts. The ASTM spec for Cetane is higher for biodiesel (47) than for petroleum diesel (40), indicating that biodiesel contributes to a shorter ignition time.

Biodiesel also adds lubricity that you won’t see from ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). Fuel is key in lubricating the fuel injection system, and proper lubricity prevents damage while helping engines run smoother, cooler and more quietly.

One of biodiesel’s performance details that diesel techs especially appreciate is that its lower emissions mean less particulate matter. That can mean fewer diesel particulate filter (DPF) issues like regens and maintenance on the regen system.

If you aren’t offering biodiesel blends for your customers yet, I’d be curious to hear why not. Contact me at (515) 239-8166 or troy.shoen@regi.com with questions or to discuss how you can get started with biodiesel. In most cases, no infrastructure changes are required.

 

/// Renewable Energy Group is leading the energy industry’s transition to sustainability by transforming renewable resources into high-quality, cleaner fuels. REG is an international producer of cleaner fuels and North America’s largest producer of biodiesel. REG utilizes an integrated procurement, distribution and logistics network to operate 13 biorefineries. REG is meeting the growing global demand for lower-carbon fuels and leading the way to a more sustainable future. Learn more about Renewable Energy Group.

Subscribe to Updates

NATSO provides a breadth of information created to strengthen travel plazas’ ability to meet the needs of the travelling public in an age of disruption. This includes knowledge filled blog posts, articles and publications. If you would like to receive a digest of blog post and articles directly in your inbox, please provide your name, email and the frequency of the updates you want to receive the email digest.