National Biodiesel Conference wraps up in Tampa

Americans used almost 2.1 billion gallons of biodiesel last year.
Americans used almost 2.1 billion gallons of biodiesel last year. | File photo

Attendees of the 2016 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, hosted by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), were given information and training to make 2016 a great year.

NBB Chief Executive Officer Joe Jobe opened the event by speaking on numbers released by the Environmental Protection Agency that showed Americans used almost 2.1 billion gallons of biodiesel last year.

“Last year the biodiesel industry demonstrated more than ever that no matter how beat up we are, no matter how outgunned we are, we don’t back down," Jobe said in the state of the industry address. "We came together like never before. We stayed true to our principles in the face of deceitful attacks and we achieved the success necessary to put us back on track.”

PACCAR announced during the Vehicle Showcase that it approves of B20 biodiesel in all of the vehicles it manufactures, adding over 100,000 new trust to the biodiesel ranks. PACCAR was awarded the Eye on Biodiesel Initiative Award during the conference.

The keynote address was given by former Republican Congressman Bob Inglis, focusing on biodiesel and climate change.

"It's fabulous when an important industry group like the National Biodiesel Board calls for an objective consideration of climate science and an apples-to-apples comparison between the competing fuels," Inglis said. "With that kind of clarity, free enterprise can fix climate change."

Attendees were able to get a hands-on experience thanks to Chevy and Ford, allowing them to test out a biodiesel-run 2016 Ford F350, the 2016 Chevy Silverado 2500, and 2015 Ford Transit around downtown Tampa, Florida.