REG announces biodiesel quality specification

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Renewable Energy Group, a biodiesel marketer and producer, announced Wednesday, April 9, that it is the first biodiesel producer and marketer in the United States to announce product specifications for B100 that exceed ASTM D 6751 biodiesel specifications regardless of feedstock.

The company says its biodiesel specifications that exceed ASTM specifications include: 1) reduced free and total glycerin levels; 2) a reduced acid number; and 3) reduced free water and sediment. REG says it performs internal tests for specifications not currently required by ASTM, including tests for monoglycerides, diglycerides and triglycerides; tests for total biodiesel moisture; and a cold soak filtration test that indicates how well REG biodiesel will perform in cold weather.

As part of the quality specification, REG also introduced a new lineup of three REG-9000 biodiesel products: REG-9000-1, REG-9000-5 and REG-9000-10. According to the company:

  • REG-9000-1 has a cloud point ranging from 0-2 degrees Celsius and a cetane level from 47-50;
  • REG-9000-5 has a cloud point ranging from 4-6 degrees C and a cetane level from 50-53; and
  • REG-9000-10 has a cloud point ranging from 8-12 degrees C and a cetane level from 53-59.
  • All three products offer improved oxidation stability and enhanced purity compared with other B100 biodiesel in today’s marketplace, the company says.

    “End users are demanding large volumes of high-quality biodiesel,” says Jeff Stroburg, chief executive officer of Ames, Iowa-based REG. “The new REG-9000 product lineup provides our customers with unprecedented options regarding their fuel choices while offering confidence in the highest-quality biodiesel available. This new specification is an extension of our commitment to biodiesel quality regardless of the feedstock to offer quality to the petroleum industry and its distributors, fleet owners and managers, retail diesel locations and other diesel users.”

    The National Biodiesel Board praised the announcement. “We commend producers and marketers such as Renewable Energy Group Inc. who make a strong commitment to quality,” says Joe Jobe, CEO of the board. “ASTM D 6751 defines the minimum requirements for biodiesel that is ‘fit for purpose’ for blending up to 20 percent with petrodiesel, and the BQ-9000 program, which Renewable Energy Group Inc. was a leader in, requires D 6751 compliance on every lot. REG has once again proven themselves as industry quality leaders by committing their product to a quality level that goes above and beyond the ASTM requirements.”