Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance

Biodiesel, a renewable fuel made right here in Wisconsin, can be made from a wide range of available feedstocks. Here are some facts:

· Biodiesel can be made from soybean, rapeseed, or other vegetable oils, animal fats, and waste cooking oil. [Source: U.S. Department of Energy, “ABC’s of BIofuels,” http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/abcs_biofuels.html#biodfeed]

· Wisconsin largest biodiesel facility, operated by Sanimax in De Forest, can use a number of feedstocks, including recycled grease products, vegetable oils, and tallow.

· Research is also being done across the country to produce biodiesel from other sources, including algae and stinkweed. [Sources: CNET News, “Solazyme targets algae fuel in three years,” http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10021122-54.html; Biodiesel Magazine, “Innovation Fuels tests pennycress as a feedstock, http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2700]

“Biodiesel Basics” is a series of weekly facts from the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance highlighting the positive benefits of biodiesel production and use in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance is a diverse group of businesses, environmental groups, and statewide and local organizations that have come together to build both public and legislative awareness of the Bio Industry in Wisconsin.

For more information about the Alliance, or to find out how to join, please visit our website: www.wisconsinbioindustry.com .

Sold by all U.S. vehicle manufacturers, flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are capable of operating on gasoline, E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline), or a mixture of both. There are a number of FFVs on the road in the US and in Wisconsin. Here are the numbers:

• There are more than 6 million flexible fuel vehicles on U.S. roads today. [Source: U.S. Department of Energy: Flexible Fuel Vehicles, http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/vehicles/flexible_fuel.html, accessed 8/21/08]

• Wisconsin has more than 141,500 flexible fuel vehicles on the road. [Source: Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence, http://power.wisconsin.gov/section.asp?linkid=1280&locid=131, accessed 8/21/08]

• To find out if you own a flex fuel vehicle, you can visit http://e85vehicles.com

“Tuesday Truths” is a series of weekly facts from the Wisconsin Ethanol Coalition explaining the positive benefits of ethanol use in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Ethanol Coalition is a diverse group of businesses, environmental, statewide groups and local organizations who have come together to build both public and legislative awareness of ethanol issues in Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.wisconsinethanol.com.

WBIA Executive Director Joshua Morby is featured in an Alliant Energy commercial released today, supporting Alliant’s proposed plant expansion. The expansion would burn 20% renewable fuels like switchgrass, corn stalks and wood waste accounting for a 524,000 ton/year decrease in CO₂ emissions.

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• Biodiesel is ten times less toxic than table salt
• Biodiesel degrades four times faster than petroleum diesel
• Biodiesel is safe to handle and transport because it’s as biodegradable as sugar