Oregon mandate mixes biofuel, diesel at pump

PORTLAND – Pulling up to the pump in a diesel car or rig? In Oregon from now on, a small portion of the fill-up will be soybean squeezings or recycled cooking grease.

Biodiesel production has reached a level in Oregon that triggered a mandate from the Legislature that requires a 2 percent blend with standard diesel fuel across the state.

The so-called “B2” blend requirement makes Oregon the third state – after Minnesota and neighboring Washington – to boost reliance on domestically produced biofuel, according to the National Biodiesel Board.

Massachusetts and Pennsylvania also have mandated a B2 standard, but that won’t go into effect until next year.

The Oregon mandate is part of the green energy policy that Gov. Ted Kulongoski and state lawmakers have promoted with hopes of expanding the biodiesel industry in Oregon while reducing carbon emissions.

Homegrown manufacturers still face competition from other biodiesel suppliers, especially Midwest soybean farmers sometimes favored by petroleum distributors who want consistent quality and cost savings from high-volume production.

Oregon manufacturers of biodiesel, such as SeQuential Biofuels, say they meet the same quality standards as Midwest soybean growers but have less environmental impact because their fuel does not have to be hauled halfway across the country by rail.

“We have a lower carbon footprint,” said SeQuential co-founder and general manager Tyson Keever. “And the quality standards are the same for everybody.”

Supporters say biodiesel has several advantages: It is renewable, can be made locally from multiple sources, causes significantly less pollution and is roughly equivalent to the power output of standard diesel fuel.

Stephanie Page, the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s renewable energy specialist, said about a half billion gallons of diesel are sold in Oregon each year.