Research conducted by American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) shows renewable diesel is not only a promising solution for lowering the trucking industry’s CO2 emissions, it's also significantly cheaper than battery electric technology.
Produced from food and organic waste, renewable diesel (RD) is chemically identical to petroleum diesel and can therefore be mixed with petroleum diesel in various ratios or used as a standalone drop-in fuel in a traditional diesel truck without consequence or aftermarket upfit. It is not a biofuel (or biodiesel), which is chemically different than petro diesel.
RD consumption levels last year reached 2.868 billion gallons annually in the U.S., according to ATRI – a nearly 67% increase from 2022. In 2022 CARB reported that 73% of RD consumed in the U.S. was sold in California and received credits through its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) regulatory program.
ATRI
However, Oregon has become a hotbed for renewable diesel deployment. Andy Owens, CEO and manager of Glendale, Oregon-based A&M Transport noted his company "quickly and successfully" transitioned to renewable diesel in April 2023, adding "ATRI’s research offers concrete evidence that this move is better for the environment and easier to achieve than other low-carbon options."
