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#13

Clean Cities Top 20 Facts

Nearly 60 million gallons of petroleum displaced in 2012

Clean Cities coalitions have played an important role in the growing use of biodiesel as a transportation fuel. Recent coalition reports show that stakeholders displaced some 59 million gallons of petroleum in 2012 by using biodiesel to fuel more than 103,000 vehicles.

The United States produced about 1 billion gallons of biodiesel in 2012 and is on pace to exceed that amount in 2013. This is nearly triple the amount produced in 2010, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).* Most biodiesel is combined with petroleum diesel in blends such as B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% petroleum diesel) or B20 (20% biodiesel).

The number of fueling stations is also on the rise. According to the Alternative Fueling Station Locator on the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), the number of public and private biodiesel fueling stations (offering fuel blends of at least B20) grew from 176 in 2004 to more than 700 today.

Did you know? B5 can be used in any diesel vehicle, and many manufacturers certify their engines for B20. Many drivers and fleet managers appreciate being able to use biodiesel without having to make vehicle modifications. See an example in this case study on the Clean Cities YouTube channel.

Did you know? Biodiesel can be made from used cooking oil, provided it’s processed to meet ASTM specifications. With the help of Tucson Clean Cities, the Rio Rico Fire District in Tucson, Arizona, is turning waste cooking grease into fuel for its emergency response vehicles. See the video case study. Also see Country-Fried Biofuels on the Energy.gov blog.

* EIA: Monthly Biodiesel Production Report and Biofuels Issues and Trends

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