The ASTM International D02 Main Committee has approved a trio of ASTM specifications for biodiesel blends, according to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB).
ASTM voted June 19 to approve three sets of biodiesel specifications that should significantly bolster automaker support and consumer demand for biodiesel, the NBB said.
The specifications include:
•Changes to the existing B100 biodiesel blend stock specification (ASTM D6751)
•Finished specifications to include up to 5% biodiesel (B5) in the conventional petrodiesel specification (ASTM D975)
•A new specification for blends of between 6 percent biodiesel (B6) to 20 percent biodiesel (B20) for on and off road diesel.
Automakers and engine manufacturers have been requesting a finished blend specification for B20 biodiesel blends for several years, with some citing the need for that spec as the single greatest hurdle preventing their full-scale acceptance of B20 use in their diesel vehicles, according to the NBB information.
The approval of ASTM specifications for inclusion of up to 5 percent biodiesel (B5) in the regular diesel fuel pool also means that biodiesel could soon become more readily available at retail fueling stations nationwide, the NBB said. The ASTM International Main Committee also approved a fourth set of specifications for inclusion of B5 biodiesel in heating oil. Marketed as Bioheat, biodiesel is gaining popularity as a home heating oil, particularly in the Northeast United States.