Biodiesel Distributor Quick Guide 10 Steps

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10 Steps for Seamless Biodiesel Distribution Adapted from NBB’s Biodiesel Education Network News 1. Quality is Critical. Don’t assume you are receiving a spec product. Specify and take receipt of only ASTM D 6751 biodiesel and ASTM D 975 diesel. 2. Professionally Test Your Fuel. Develop a relationship with a local fuel testing lab. Discuss a semi-annual tank management program for your site to ascertain the status of your fuel quality and see if it meets ASTM target values. 3. Take Samples. If you intend on using an existing diesel or kerosene tank for storage of your biodiesel, pure or blended, make sure you take a bottom sample of the proposed tank and verify lack of moisture content and microbial activity. 4. Ensure Materials Compatibility. Pure biodiesel has excellent solvency characteristics. Left alone through your transition to biodiesel, heavy petroleum sediment formation in your systems may increase the probability of plugging system filters prematurely. Pre-blended B20 would have less of an effect. Exercise the precautions detailed in step number three, and to ensure compatibility, store biodiesel in only steel and aluminum tanks. Any gasket or o-rings that would come in contact with pure biodiesel should be manufactured from Viton or Teflon materials. All blended biodiesel products, such as B2 and B5, would have minimal effect on less durable compounds such as nylon, polypropylene and polyurethane. 5. Take Cold Weather Precautions. B100 stored in cold temperatures (less than 40 °F) must be heated to at least 60 °F prior to distribution or blending into middle distillates of any grade. If pumping biodiesel in cold weather through a conventional fuel pump, keep the hose and supply line to the pump equally protected with heat. An option to heating the systems is to blend B100 with 50% kerosene to dilute the cold weather properties of the biodiesel Created by Virginia Clean Cities in partnership with DMME.

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10 Steps to Make Biodiesel Distribution Seamless 6. Remember Uncle Sam. If you are selling biodiesel, pure or blended into on-road diesel, the biodiesel percentage must be assessed all necessary federal and state taxes that apply to diesel fuel. 7. Dye Your Biodiesel. Off-road sales of biodiesel require the industry standard red dye to distinguish it as off-road fuel and not subject to road diesel tax. Blends of 20% can dilute the color of red-dyed fuel and push it out of color specification, which could lead to tax authorities issues. Treat B100 with the same amount of red dye as petroleum diesel for off-road fuel. 8. Know Your Diesel. It’s important to start with the absolute best generic diesel fuel in terms of cold weather characteristics when blending with biodiesel. If you don’t know what your cold flow specs are for the base diesel you sell, you won’t know what your B20 blend would be once combined with the generic portion of that blend. B20 can be successfully used in the harshest winter climates when proper attention is given to the storing and blending of the two fuels. 9. Use Common Sense When Upgrading Infrastructure. The best way to utilize your current assets is to select a storage and blending option that will meet your needs while being supported by your existing equipment. Depending on the percentage of biodiesel you plan to offer, different issues need attention, including pump capacity, loading arm demands, meters, automation and mechanical engineering and electrical values to bring it all together. A handling kit for petroleum distributors is available from the VA soybean office. 10. Be Prepared. Know what you buy, keep your supply sources accountable for upholding quality, becoming knowledgeable on biodiesel basics and educate your team. Ask Virginia Clean Cities to help! Created by Virginia Clean Cities in partnership with DMME. Visit us on the web: www.hrccc.org