Detailed Information on Biodiesel

We started the first edition of this book by noting that it was an exciting time for everyone in the biodiesel industry. Little did we know how exciting it would become with the second edition! Interest in biodiesel is exploding. Biodiesel is selling as fast as producers can make it. In many cases, it is priced below petroleum-based diesel fuel. Investors and entrepreneurs are eager to get an early start in this growth opportunity.

We have been offering on-site training or virtual workshops on various aspects of biodiesel since 2002 with our team of experts, including Van Gerpen, Davis Clements, Rudy Pruszko, Brent Shanks, and Gerhard Knothe. We have had almost 400 total attendees with representatives from 42 states and 21 countries outside of the United States. Our goal has always been to provide comprehensive and unbiased information about biodiesel. The notes from these workshops were the origin of this book. This second edition incorporates revisions and updates to material from the first edition and includes three entirely new chapters. Feedback from our students has been invaluable in improving the material and making it more useful to readers.

Recent developments in the industry have re-emphasized the importance of fuel quality to the continued growth of biodiesel. We want to call the reader's attention to the chapters on biodiesel specifications, test methods, and engine requirements. Everyone should constantly repeat the mantra. If it doesn't meet the ASTM specification, it's not biodiesel. There is no greater threat to this industry than a public perception that the fuel cannot be trusted.

We wish everyone the best of luck in their ventures, however, we want to add a note of caution to temper the enthusiasm that currently surrounds biodiesel. New industries tend to go through periods of rapid growth followed by corrections, where those businesses that are well-managed survive and those that are uncompetitive fail. We don't expect that biodiesel will be any different.  

It will not be long before the rapid expansion of the biodiesel industry produces a shortage of feedstock, causing price increases that will challenge the profitability of biodiesel production. Companies that have controlled costs, built efficient plants, stayed abreast of new developments, and captured a supply of feedstock will have the best chance for survival. We hope this book helps your project be one of the successful companies.

We wish everyone in the biodiesel industry the best of luck as they work toward finding their place in an industry that we expect will grow into a major economic force in the United States, as it has in Europe.