As National Biodiesel Day approaches on March 18, the B20 Club of Indiana and the Indiana Soybean Alliance are giving special recognition to all the organizations that have made the choice to support cleaner air and a lower carbon footprint through use of B20 biodiesel fuel, a blend of 20-percent biodiesel and 80-percent conventional diesel.
Biodiesel boosts all of Indiana by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. It’s made from soybean oil and other renewable feedstocks produced in the state and lowers carbon footprints by reducing lifecycle carbon emissions. Biodiesel also improves air quality by drastically reducing particulate matter and other harmful vehicle emissions.
In a little more than a year, the B20 Club of Indiana estimates they have made a calculable impact through:
- 865 vehicles fueled with B20
- 878 million gallons of B20 fuel used
- The equivalent of 138,408 trees planted
- 664 pounds of particulate matter reduced
- $322,160 in health savings
“The benefits of B20 biodiesel are clear,” says Helena Jette, Director of Biofuels at the Indiana Soybean Alliance. “It is a crucial component of green fleet technologies that boost the performance of diesel vehicles and since it is produced locally from renewable resources, like sustainable soybean oil, B20 biodiesel helps support all of Indiana while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80 percent compared to petroleum diesel.”
The production of biodiesel produces measurable economic benefits across the state, as well. As the seventh-largest producer of biodiesel in the country, increased demand has created roughly 3,200 jobs across Indiana and boosted soybean farmers’ income $36 per acre on average.
“Biodiesel fuel is a responsible choice for American consumers who think about what is best for our environment when making buying decisions,” said Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) Board Chair Jim Douglas, a farmer from Flat Rock, Indiana. “At the same time, biodiesel is another great product made of soybeans that can improve the economy of Hoosier farmers for many years to come.”
B20 Club of Indiana members include: Ozinga Bros., Al Warren Oil Company, Altom Transport, Ball State University, the City of Fort Wayne and the Muncie Indiana Transit System.
The B20 Club of Indiana is also supported by Associate Members Casey’s General Stores, CountryMark, Louis Dreyfus Company and Renewable Energy Group (REG).
The B20 Club of Indiana is a collaboration between the American Lung Association (ALA) and the Indiana Soybean Alliance and was formed to create a foundation to build on biodiesel demand.
For more information about the B20 Club of Indiana visit B20clubIndiana.org.