Managing for Profit

Engine inventors birthday also an observance of renewable fuel

This past Saturday was a special day for those involved in the production of biodiesel.  “It’s Rudolf Diesel’s birthday,” said Donnell Rehagen, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board, about March 18, also observed as National Biodiesel Day.

“Rudolf Diesel was the inventor of the diesel engine,” said Rehagen.  “Few may know that Rudolf Diesel’s first engine that he was testing actually ran on peanut oil, so an early version of today’s biodiesel.”

Since its beginning, the National Biodiesel Board and biodiesel itself has maintained a very close relationship with farmers, especially soybean growers.

“We’re married to agriculture,” said Rehagen.  “We take a vast majority of that soybean oil off the market and put it into a very high value-added product, which is an on-road fuel.”

Every year in the U.S., nearly 3 billion gallons of biodiesel replace petroleum diesel fuel, and according to the National Biodiesel Board, creates about 64,000 jobs.

AUDIO: Donnell Rehagen (3 min. MP3)