Kansas Biodiesel Consortium

The Kansas Biodiesel Consortium (KSBC) formed in 2015 with the intent of connecting the biodiesel clubs from different institutions of higher education in Kansas. The consortium consists of faculty members and students from Kansas State University, the University of Kansas, Seward County Community College and North Central Kansas Technical College. Initially, KSBC activities consisted of conversations among the biodiesel clubs’ advisors. Through those conversations, it was realized that each institution has expertise that could benefit the others and that combined expertise is of value to biodiesel producers, retailers and consumers in Kansas. KSBC strives to be “the go-to place for biodiesel information in Kansas.”

The main purpose of KSBC is to provide an educational framework for students and interested parties in Kansas to learn about the production and use of biodiesel. Biodiesel production by KSBC student clubs provides students with real-world, hands-on experience that can be translated into summer internships and careers after graduation. Students with biodiesel-club experience are highly sought by employers. Those students have solved real-world problems, worked within budgets, conducted research, produced a product and shown dedication to a purpose.

KSBC’s combined expertise includes biodiesel production and its management, feedstocks and technical support for users. KSBC can provide basic education about biodiesel for the general public, as well as research and technical support for producers and consumers.

As part of its biodiesel market-development project, the Kansas Soybean Commission is the group’s primary benefactor.