Congress’ Committee on the Climate Crisis recently outlined plans for a carbon-free U.S. economy by 2050. At HERO BX, we started years ago by producing a fuel that achieves measurable carbon reductions, improves environmental health for many communities, and sets the economy on the right course. We’re making a difference today, so that future generations won’t have to address further environmental degradation tomorrow.

HERO BX has been in business since 2005 and we’re still growing. We are one of the largest renewable fuel providers in the Northeast. We strive to produce the cleanest, highest-quality liquid fuel for transportation and heating. And we’re proud that it replaces petroleum drop-for-drop today.

The entire industry is set to build on the successes of today to meet the nation’s carbon-free goals of tomorrow. The industry’s vision is to double production of biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation, and renewable heating oil to meet market needs of 6 billion gallons of clean fuel in the next decade. By 2050, we plan to reach 15 billion gallons.

HERO BX employs a flexible approach, using recycled cooking oil as well as surplus crop oils. Across the United States, nearly a third of the raw materials that go into biodiesel and renewable diesel come from recycled cooking oil and animal fats. For the other two-thirds, producers use surplus and inedible oils from U.S. crops produced for animal feed and other sectors.

The entire biodiesel industry continues to look to the future for additional renewable, low-carbon raw materials. Finding new uses for waste products, such as trap grease from sewer systems, has multiple obvious environmental benefits. And farmers know that winter cover crops can add carbon to farm soil, providing both agricultural and environmental benefits along with additional oil supplies. A clear policy signal to biodiesel producers, environmental service providers, and farmers to implement carbon-saving practices and bring new technologies to market should be part of any plan to address the climate crisis.

Even as we look to the future, biodiesel brings genuine carbon reductions today. Counting all of the energy inputs in collecting raw materials and converting them into fuels, biodiesel can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 86 percent compared to petroleum diesel. As the science for comparing fuel production lifecycles has improved over the last 10 years, biodiesel has consistently proven its worth.

The science also shows that biodiesel’s carbon scores will continue to improve. Diesel engines power the most carbon intensive economic sectors, such as long-haul trucking, rail, and farm equipment. The fossil energy used in those sectors impacts the overall lifecycle score of biodiesel production when raw materials are collected and transported for processing. So, replacing petroleum with biodiesel on farms and in freight will lower the overall carbon score for biodiesel, helping it meet zero-carbon energy goals.

Climate policies rightly focus on environmental justice. In addition to carbon reductions, today’s biodiesel brings immediate health benefits. Biodiesel use cuts particulate matter emissions in half, which could prevent hundreds of premature deaths from respiratory illness such as asthma each year. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, biodiesel use could save the nation as much as $5 billion in health care costs each year, including fewer hospital admissions and lost workdays. Even the 20 percent biodiesel blends that are most common today have a positive impact on these emissions, according to studies.

Increased use of biodiesel can immediately create a healthier environment in many homes. Across the Northeast, more than 5 million homes and businesses rely on oil heat. Replacing petroleum heating oil with biodiesel – or Bioheat as it is known – is a more cost-effective way to reduce carbon than converting these homes and businesses to electricity or natural gas. And the indoor air quality improvements would bring the health savings. A blend of 7 percent Bioheat® is as clean as natural gas.

The facts are biodiesel and renewable diesel are the most widely available low-carbon fuels today. They can cut carbon emissions in existing diesel engines – without the need for modifications or the costs of replacements. More than that, they can reduce particulate matter emissions that contribute to health problems in many cities and transportation corridors, even in homes and businesses.

Federal policies should look to expand biodiesel and renewable diesel use as much as possible, now and in the future, since they will be the cleanest, lowest-cost tool for decarbonizing certain economic sectors long past the middle of this century.

Tim Keaveney is the executive vice president of business development for HERO BX, based in Portsmouth.

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