CHICAGO -- The U.S.'s biggest biodiesel booster has teamed up with an emissions tracking supplier and L.A. logistics fleet to measure the environmental benefits of the alternative fuel.

The National Biodiesel Board, Chicago-based Indigenous Energy, and States Logistics, a fleet and logistics company using clean technology, are about to culminate a six-month over-the-road pilot to quantify States Logistics' emissions and carbon dioxide reduction from using biodiesel.

So far, results for May and June showed a 16.5-ton reduction in CO2 emissions.

States Logistics goes to each end of the spectrum when it comes to biodiesel, using both B5 (a 5 percent biodiesel blend) and B99 (99 percent biodiesel) in seven 2007 trucks, running approximately 27,000 miles a month.

The pilot program takes into account several areas to measure carbon footprint including vehicle type, distance traveled, number of gallons used, percentage of biodiesel used and biodiesel feedstock type, such as soybean oil.

The end result is a report on total CO2 emitted from both the petroleum diesel and biodiesel, CO2 reduction from using biodiesel and the quantifiable cost to offset petroleum CO2. The results will be presented at the Mid-America Trucking Show in March 2009.

"Many of our customers on the West Coast and other areas of the country are looking to reduce carbon footprint and emissions," said Ryan Donovan, vice president of operations and business development of States Logistics. "Since we use biodiesel in all of our trucks, our customers already have an advantage. The type of measurement and easy-to-understand reporting from Indigenous Energy will help us provide detailed information that our customers can show to their customers."

Eventually, these figures may be used to sell carbon offsets, but today, they can be used to show States Logistics' customers and their customers' customers how they are all contributing to reduction of CO2.

-- via Truckinginfo.com