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Feedstocks and a growing biodiesel, renewable diesel industry

U.S. farmers are ready to meet demand for feedstocks in a growing biodiesel and renewable diesel industry.

East Central Iowa farmer David Walton, a Clean Fuels Alliance America governing board member, says the industry is poised to see rapid growth in the next 10 years with the goal of reaching six billion gallons by 2030.

He says advancements in feedstocks will be needed to help meet goals.

“Are we going to be able to raise enough feedstock for that and right now the industry is saying yes,” he says. “Farmers are saying yes, as value increases, we can work to raise yields. And, soybean breeders are looking at soybeans that have a higher oil content without giving up yield so there are a lot of exciting things on that front.”

Walton says expansion of soybean crushing plants in the U.S. will help. 

“We’re going to be able to crush more of those beans domestically and use that oil in the industry. The challenge then becomes the soybean meal. So, we have to have foreign buyers that will take meal instead of whole soybeans. The other thing I’d like to see happen is an expansion of the domestic livestock industry so we can use that meal domestically and create a higher value product for export.”

Other feedstocks for biodiesel and renewable diesel include animal fats, and recycled cooking oil.

Walton raises cattle, sheep, corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and grass hay in Wilton, Iowa. Brownfield spoke to Walton during the 2022 National Biodiesel Conference and Expo.