Biodiesel Mandates and Initiatives

Global Mandates

Map of total diesel usage by region

North America

  • ​On the federal level, Renewable Fuel Standard 2 required the use of 500 million gallons of biomass-based diesel in 2009, increasing gradually to 1 billion gallons in 2012. From 2012 through 2022, a minimum of 1 billion gallons must be used domestically, and the administrator of the EPA is given the authority to increase the minimum volume requirement. To qualify as biomass-based diesel, the fuel must reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50 percent compared to petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is the only fuel available in commercial quantities in the U.S. that meets the definition of biomass-based diesel. [Biofuels explained, U.S. Energy Information Administration]
  • Biodiesel State Laws and Incentives, Alternative Fuels Data Center
  • Biodiesel Federal Laws and Incentives, Alternative Fuels Data Center
  • The United States Armed Forces, which currently fuels 77% of its machinery with petroleum-based fuel, has announced an aggressive goal: to be petroleum free by 2040. "Biofuels from renewable sources" is an option being explored. [U.S. military gets serious about biofuels, OilPrice.com]
  • ​New York City adopted new legislation requiring all heating oil sold from October 2012 to include at least 2% biodiesel (B2). [NY city adopts biodiesel for heating oil, ICF International]
  • Illinois mandated the use of B2 in all diesel fuels in July of 2006. [Biodiesel laws and incentives in Illinois, Alternative Fuels Data Center]
  • Phoenix March 29, 2011. Mayor Phil Gordon has said his goal is to make Phoenix the greenest city in America. Phoenix uses a 20 percent blend of biodiesel in its municipal equipment. [Phoenix pushes biodiesel, U.S. Dept of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center]
  • In North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven recently signed SB2217 into law (in 2005), which gives biodiesel blenders a 5-cent-per-gallon (cpg) tax credit when a minimum of B5 is blended. The law also establishes a fund to buy down loans made to biodiesel producers. [North Dakota SB2217, Biodiesel Magazine]
  • In Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer advanced Rep. Gail Gutsche's House Bill (HB) 756 into the Montana law books in 2005. The new law offers a 10 cents per gallon producer tax credit against taxes already paid for increased production. The new law also provides for up to $500,000 or 15 percent of property investments to oilseed crushing plants for biodiesel production.​ [Montana SB756]
  • Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack signed Executive Order No. 41 which requires the state to incrementally increase biodiesel amounts to B20 by 2010. [Iowa Executive Order 41, Green Car Congress]
  • New Jersey: All of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey’s Newark diesel-powered vehicles have switched to a blend of diesel and agricultural oils for power, joining a nationwide trend in shifting to biodiesel fuel. [UMDNJ diesel powered fleet, Government Fleet]
  • On Nov. 30, 2009 Washington State implemented a B2 requirement that mandates fuel retailers to sell a B2 blend within state borders. The requirement will increase to 5 percent once in-state biodiesel production reaches 3 percent of total in-state diesel demand. To help distribute biodiesel in this emerging market, Exxon Mobil Corp. built a $3 million blending terminal on its 15-acre fuel storage site in Spokane Valley, Washington. The facility, which opened Dec. 1, 2009, one day after the statewide B2 mandate went into effect, is Exxon Mobil's first in the U.S. [Washington State B2 mandate, Biodiesel Magazine]
  • Louisiana passed a law in June of 2006 mandating a B2 blend in all diesel. Though B2 is a small step (diesel engines can handle biodiesel in higher concentrations much easier than gasoline engines can handle ethanol), one of the things holding back a, B20 mandate is in-state production. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said at the time that it would take about a year and a half to two years "before producers can make enough product to trigger the mandate in the legislation." To fulfill the B2 mandate, Louisiana producers need to be able to make 15 million gallons a year, and the law becomes effective once 834,000 gallons of biodiesel can be made in the state each month. [Louisiana B2 Mandate Update, AutoBlog.com]
  • Oregon is ramping up for a similar mandate that the state legislature passed in July 2007. It requires the use of B2 once in-state biodiesel production reached 5 million gallons a year, which recently occurred. It also allows for an increase to B5 once production reaches 15 million gallons a year. [Washington B2 Mandate in Effect, Biodiesel Magazine]
  • On November 1, 2009, Canadian Energy Minister Jim Rondeau announced that all diesel fuel sold in Manitoba must contain an average of two per cent biodiesel. Manitoba became the first province in Canada to mandate the use of biodiesel. He said the measure will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 56,000 tones, the equivalent of taking 11,000 cars off the road each year. [Manitoba to mandate biodiesel blends, CBC News]
  • On July 1, 2012, New Mexico mandated the use of biodiesel B5 in all state agencies and public schools operating on-road motor vehicles. [New Mexico B5 mandate, Biodiesel Magazine]
  • Minnesota has taken another step towards promoting domestic energy security and reducing the state's carbon footprint. On July 10, 2009, Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed a bill that will increase the current 2 percent biodiesel mandate to 20 percent by 2015. [Minnesota passes B20 mandate, Biofuel 101 blog]
  • In Seattle, Safeway opened their first B20 pump in 2007 hoping to capitalize on the upcoming expansion in the alternative fuel market. [Biodiesel goes mainstream with Safeway’s entry into the market, Seattle Times]
  • In Maine, the director of energy independence in the governor's office, Beth Nagusky, said legislators in her state proposed Legislative Draft (LD) 197, (2005), a Renewable Fuel Standard bill requiring state buildings to use, at minimum, B20 bioheat (biodiesel blended with heating oil). The bill would also require state diesel vehicles to burn at least B20. [State Legislatures Pass Biodiesel Bills, Biodiesel Magazine]
  • In May of 2010 Pennsylvania signed into law Act 78 which will require the use of B2 biodiesel fuel in every gallon of on-road diesel fuel sold in Pennsylvania. [Dept of Agriculture, Pennsylvania]
  • The Port of Vancouver, USA is one of the first ports in the United States to replace regular diesel fuel with environmentally-friendly biodiesel for use in almost all of its own vehicles and heavy equipment. Washington legislators passed a law that requires all state agencies to use a minimum of 20 per cent biodiesel for state fleet vehicles by 2009. [Port of Vancouver, Biodiesel Challenge]
  • On June 1, 2011 the United Parcel Service (UPS) began using biodiesel blends at its hub in Louisville, Ky. UPS recently installed a biodiesel fuel tank and fueling station at its Worldport facility that will allow fueling operators to blend specified percentages of biodiesel starting with 5 percent biodiesel, B5, and working up to 20 percent biodiesel, B20. The 30,000-gallon biodiesel tank and station at Worldport fuels nearly 200 vehicles and diesel equipment, most of which help load packages on and off the planes. Worldport is the single most important point in all of UPS's global operation. The facility processes 416,000 packages per hour and is the size of 80 football fields. [UPS Begins Using Renewable Biodiesel at Major U.S. Hub, Agoracom.com]
  • Apple Computer company headquarters in Cupertino, CA. currently fuels 20 buses with biodiesel; the buses are used for transporting its 9,500 employees. [TechCrunch]
  • Safeway announced in 2008 that it is fueling its entire US truck fleet of over 1000 vehicles with cleaner burning B20. [Crimson Renewable Energy]
  • Cleveland is taking significant steps to reduce emissions and create a more sustainable service fleet. In 2011 the city began piloting the use of biodiesel fuel in its diesel truck operations. The city’s biodiesel pilot project will demonstrate the usage and benefits of B20 (20 percent biodiesel/80 percent petrol diesel) in municipal operations. [Large-Scale Biodiesel Plant Set to Open in Cleveland, cleveland19.com]
  • On January 16, 2009 Virginia, Governor Tim Kaine laid out his “Green” program which called for a state B2 biodiesel mandate in all diesel fuels. [Biodiesel laws and incentives in Virginia, U.S. DoE]
  • The Denver Public School district -- with the largest school bus fleet in Colorado started using biodiesel fuel in 50 of its 450 school buses in 2008. [Denver school buses using biodiesel, Green Car Congress]
  • Boston - Biodiesel began fueling the 25 diesel vehicles in Harvard’s fleet during Spring 2004 as the University Operations Services constructed its very own biodiesel filling station.
  • Montreal Transit Corp. buses started running 20% biodiesel in 2002 on 115 city buses. [Montreal biodiesel-electric buses, Société de transport de Montréal]
  • New Hampshire bill HB152 (early 2005) originally called for a 1 percent biodiesel renewable fuels standard (RFS) in all home heating oil sold statewide, but the bill had little support. Legislators changed the bill, now calling for the creation of a commission to study biodiesel and its incorporation into heating oil and fuel supplies. Since the removal of the 1 percent mandate, HB152 passed out of both chambers. [State Legislatures Pass Biodiesel Bills, Biodiesel Magazine]
  • The Philadelphia Eagles bought more than 300 gallons of biodiesel blends (B10 and B20) to power diesel equipment. That includes hot pressure washers, tractors, utility carts and mowers. The Eagles continued to replace high polluting fuels in 2009. [Philadelphia Eagles going self-sufficient, Engadget]
  • Baltimore Gas & Electric Company began using biodiesel blends in 2002. The company currently uses B20 in about 650 pieces of equipment and vehicles including backhoes, forklifts, bucket trucks, and service trucks. [Alternative fuels and fuel stations, Maryland Department of the Environment]
  • Hundreds of U.S. fleets, representing over 25,000 vehicles for commercial, government, utility and transit use, currently run on biodiesel blends nationwide. http://www.biodiesel.org/markets/pas/
  • A Redwood City-based retailer of clean, renewable fuels, began selling B20 biodiesel at two of its Sacramento area stations in 2011. [Propel Fuels introduces B20 biodiesel in Bay Area, Propel Fuels]
  • ​Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry signed SB 363 (in June of 2005), which included the Biofuels Development Act. It will encourage future processing, promotion, research, market development and distribution of biofuels. [New law creates OK biofuels development act, Oklahoma Senate]