Case Study on ASTM Standards: Biodiesel Fuel Blends

(ASTM International/Biobased Diesel Daily) As part of its 125th anniversary celebration, ASTM International invited case-study submissions from committee members around the world, highlighting standards that have made a significant impact in society—and that have bettered the world around us. Numerous exceptional submissions were received, making the work of ASTM’s panel of judges even more difficult in narrowing down the list to eight winners.

Q: Identify the need for the development of this standard—what problem was this standard trying to solve? Who initiated the development of the standard?

A: During the 1980s and 1990s, the United States and other countries throughout the world became increasingly aware of the need for cleaner-burning transportation fuels to help mitigate greenhouse-gas emissions/climate change as well as reduce global dependence on fossil fuels. The first commercial production of biodiesel in the U.S. occurred in 1991, and biodiesel volumes increased over the next few years—enough that it was soon realized product quality would be critical to biodiesel’s success going forward. This meant there was a real need to develop a robust, fit-for-purpose specification for biodiesel that would need to be internationally accepted/recognized by those entities associated with the energy and fuels sector.

ASTM International was designated as the best and most obvious standards-development organization to begin the monumental task of developing a new and critical fuel specification for adopting biodiesel on a global scale. To this end, a Biodiesel Task Force was developed in committee D02.

After rigorous vetting with a variety of fuel-industry stakeholders such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), biodiesel producers, and many others such as state-level regulators, the provisional specification for biodiesel fuel (B100) blend stock for distillate fuels (PS121) was approved to provide initial guidance on minimum requirements for an acceptable and consistent biodiesel product (this was the last provisional standard approved by ASTM). After more technical debate, the first full specification for biodiesel was approved (D6751). More than 50 changes have been made since then, with 26 new designations due to research and “real-world” insights from all sectors involved on a “day-to-day” basis with the energy and fuels industries. These changes have helped ensure biodiesel’s fuel quality meets all OEM and customer requirements and needs—leading to the current version of the standard.

Q: What interest groups participated in the development and/or revision to the standard?

A: Interest-group participation was wide ranging: OEMs, government officials, state regulators eager to have a consensus-derived standard to adopt into their fuel-quality regulations, fuel producers (both petroleum refiners and biodiesel producers), researchers, and a broad range of representatives all providing guidance on test methods and needed parameters and specification limits.

A: The standard has been adopted as the state standard for biodiesel in almost every U.S. state, as well being incorporated by the U.S. EPA into their governance associated with the Renewable Fuel Standard. To qualify as an alternate fuel for inclusion in the RFS, biodiesel must first meet the D6751 specification. In addition, there are 30 countries that adopt, reference in regulation, cite as a normative reference, or otherwise use the standard as a basis for their national standards for biodiesel. Producers use this specification for minimum product-quality production and fuel purchasers have referenced this specification in their sales agreements. OEMs specify the standard as minimum for use in their equipment, and regulators sample and test biodiesel in commerce to ensure fuels meet these specification limits. In effect, D6751 controls biodiesel properties from production lots to the fueling ports of the end user. It is also the “backbone” of the current voluntary, nationally accepted biodiesel-quality program BQ-9000, which is directed at producers, marketers and laboratories responsible for fuel quality from production through end use.

A: By establishing a consensus-driven, fit-for-purpose biodiesel specification, biodiesel became the first commercially available advanced biofuel (designated by EPA in RFS) in the U.S. Biodiesel generates less greenhouse-gas emissions and less particulate matter, lower CO, and unburned hydrocarbons than conventional petroleum-derived diesel fuel. Published data supports that the use of biodiesel specifically decreases cancer risk, fewer premature deaths, reduced asthma attacks, and fewer lost workdays (1). In terms of safety, biodiesel in its pure form (B100) causes less biological damage to the environment than petroleum diesel if spilled or released and is safer than diesel fuel, as it is less combustible (i.e., higher flash point). This makes it safer to handle, store and transport.

A: The standard provides an internationally recognized way to ensure the fuels used for transportation and/or home heating will perform as expected when biodiesel is used. Biodiesel use greatly impacts environmental justice in areas where the product is used in diesel engines and heating-oil systems.

Q: Can you provide any data to support the safety, economic or other impacts of the standard? If yes, please summarize the data and provide citations.

A: Researchers estimate that switching to 100 percent biodiesel in 28 transportation and home heating-oil sectors studied would provide immediate community-health improvements that include the following (1): READ MORE