Quality of Biodiesel Fuel Questioned: Tests Find Samples Contain Too Much Glycerin; Trucks May Stall in Cold Weather

By Rick Barrett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Jan. 3–A problem with biodiesel fuel that left trucks stalled on the highway last winter could surface again if producers haven’t met quality standards. In national fuel-quality tests, roughly one-third of the biodiesel samples contained too much glycerin, a sticky substance that can clog engine fuel filters at cold temperatures. The samples were taken between November 2005 and July 2006, according to a recent report from the National Biodiesel Board, an industry trade group based in Jefferson City, Mo. Many of the bad samples had the same flaw as the fuel that caused problems last winter in Minnesota — where trucks started breaking down for no obvious reason. The test results are unacceptable for an industry that’s still establishing its reputation, according to the National Biodiesel Board. Wisconsin is among the states where home-grown fuels are gaining in popularity. It’s also one of the states that doesn’t “proactively test” biodiesel before it’s sold to the public. “As the industry ramps up to meet the vast increase in demand for biodiesel, this growth simply cannot occur at the expense of fuel quality,” said Joe Jobe, biodiesel board chief executive officer. “This underscores the need for enforcement agencies to take action against those who aren’t producing biodiesel that meets the existing standard,” he added. Wisconsin has four biodiesel plants — where soy oil is used to produce a motor fuel. There are at least six more plants on the drawing board, including the first one planned for the Milwaukee area. State officials said Tuesday they agreed with the biodiesel board’s recent “winter weather advisory” that urged fuel producers and consumers to be aware of cold-weather problems associated with bad batches of biodiesel. “This is such a new area that the regulatory component isn’t well defined,” said Gary Radloff, director of policy and communications for the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. “There could be legislation coming to allow the state to monitor biodiesel fuel quality. We would be very open to that if it’s what the Legislature and governor wanted,” Radloff added. The problem that surfaced in Minnesota last winter was, at first, a mystery. Some diesel engines sputtered and quit as their fuel filters became plugged with unknown, slimy gunk. The problem worsened when temperatures dropped well below freezing. Trucking firms said they experienced thousands of dollars in engine breakdowns and time lost on the road. One northern Wisconsin company, which bought its fuel in Minnesota, said it changed 50 fuel filters in a month to no avail, as its fleet of trucks ran in fits and starts. Diesel-fuel users have been skeptical of the biofuel that’s aimed at reducing certain types of air pollution and reducing the nation’s dependency on foreign oil. “It’s not as simple as dumping biodiesel in an engine, running it a few hours and saying, ‘Yeah, that looks good,’ ” said Mike Osenga, publisher of Diesel Progress magazine in Waukesha. “Trucks run differently than farm tractors, which run differently from construction equipment, which run differently from electrical generating sets,” Osenga said. “Just saying ‘Dump it in there’ for diesel engines doesn’t work . . . We saw that in Minnesota.” After much testing and analysis, the Minnesota biodiesel system seems to be working well this winter. State officials recently sampled fuel from various sources and found that it was in compliance with a national standard. “You don’t want to give a good product a bad name,” said Sherry Lowe of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association. “Everyone up and down the chain has to make sure the fuel is properly produced, handled and delivered,” she said. Wisconsin biofuel producers say they don’t want a repeat of last winter’s problems. “There were a lot of quality issues that came to the forefront, and it really was a black eye for the industry. But ultimately it was a good thing because it focused attention where it needed to be, and that was on fuel quality,” said Jeff Pieterick, vice president of North Prairie Productions LLC, which is planning a biodiesel refinery in Rock County. North Prairie has raised more than $16 million to build its plant that’s scheduled to start production late this year or in early 2008. To avoid problems, the company plans to stick with a national fuel quality standard, according to Pieterick. “I think the National Biodiesel Board is right on track” with its winter weather advisory, he said. Currently, only 10 states run specific tests on biodiesel, according to the biodiesel board. The list includes Minnesota, where all diesel fuel now contains 2% biodiesel. In some states, where the testing is done, plants have been shut down for quality problems. The biodiesel board favors penalties for such plants, including its own members. “Ultimately, the market place will sort out the poor performers. But we don’t want to wait that long because it could cause problems for consumers. That’s not acceptable,” said Jenna Higgins, biodiesel board spokeswoman. The national association has asked the Internal Revenue Service for help with the fuel quality issue because biodiesel plants, by law, are supposed to meet a minimum standard before they are eligible for tax breaks. Biodiesel can be made from a variety of ingredients, including animal fat and restaurant fryer grease. Consumers should stick with experienced, reputable fuel dealers, according to Higgins. Given the national test results, it’s more important than ever, she said.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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