Renewable fuel industry navigates shifting needs

Soybeans are making an impact in the renewable diesel world

Renewable diesel is sparking a lot of interest these days, and like with its counterpart biodiesel, soybean producers benefit from its demand. Renewable diesel and biodiesel share the same name base ingredients, namely soybean oil, but the process to make them differs.

Biodiesel is created through a process called transesterification, while the feedstock for renewable diesel goes through a process also means that biodiesel contains oxygen molecules, while renewable diesel is chemically more similar to petroleum-based diesel.

Low Carbon Fuel Standards in California are a major contributor to the uptick in renewable diesel production as cleaner-burning fuels are required to meet the LCFS goals. Experts at Clean Fuels Alliance America, formerly the National Biodiesel Board, expect California and the West Coast market to utilize the full supply of renewable diesel produced for the next several years.

Sustainable aviation fuel is also taking off as a desired additive to or replacement for petroleum-based jet fuel. According to Clean Fuels, the industry is currently focused on producing SAF for a “drop-in” replacement to conventional jet fuel. Drop-in fuels are combined with the petroleum-based fuel either in the future, as a 100% replacement.

Clean Fuels also shares that, blended together, renewable diesel and biodiesel are ideal for engine efficiency. Renewable diesel is considered a “dry fuel” that requires some type of lubricant to run optimally. Biodiesel can contribute that needed lubricity and the oxygen helps with an efficient ignition process within the engine.

Soybean growers win with all three biomass-based diesel fuels since soybean oil continues to be the most sought-after feedstock to produce the fuels.