Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance Introduces Sustainability Standards for the US Biodiesel Industry

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance (SBA) headquartered in Austin, Texas will release the first national Baseline Practices for Sustainability (BPS) in Biodiesel for public review on August 19, 2008.

“The bottom line is that we need to support our local farmers and educate the public on the difference between sustainable and non-sustainable biodiesel. The baseline practices address issues including energy security, agrochemicals, land use, greenhouse gas emissions, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), biodiversity, energy conservation and community benefit.”

The SBA, a non-profit organization founded in 2006, has created an on-line forum to solicit public feedback and suggestions. The 24-page BPS document is available for 45 days beginning August 19, 2008 at http://www.fuelresponsibly.org/. This is the first national effort at developing biodiesel sustainability practices through a stakeholder work group process.

Over the past year, alliance members worked diligently to develop definitions and standards for sustainability in three key areas: environmental, social and economic concerns. The four work groups (Feedstock, Production, Distribution, End Users) were represented by family farmers, environmental NGOs, representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, fuel distributors, biodiesel producers, academics, trucking fleets and renewable energy consultants.

“All biodiesel is not created equal, so establishing baseline practices for biodiesel production and distribution is critical to creating transparency in the marketplace and allowing consumers to know if the biodiesel they are purchasing is part of the solution or part of the problem,” said Jeff Plowman, Executive Director of the SBA. “The bottom line is that we need to support our local farmers and educate the public on the difference between sustainable and non-sustainable biodiesel. The baseline practices address issues including energy security, agrochemicals, land use, greenhouse gas emissions, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), biodiversity, energy conservation and community benefit.”

After the 45-day open forum period, the SBA will incorporate public feedback and changes to the BPS document. The draft document will then be discussed and ratified at the “Sustainable Biodiesel Stakeholders Summit 2008” on September 17, 2008 at the International Center, 201 E. 2^nd Street, Austin, Texas, 78701.