No Monkey-Wrench Miracle

As a trade-magazine editor and publisher for industries such as these, in which good or bad years are so often dictated by the whims of politics and policy, it is a harrowing experience when big government decisions can happen at a moment’s notice nearly every time we go to print—throwing a monkey wrench into months of planning.

But these major decisions upon which we are all waiting—final Renewable Fuel Standard volumes for 2026-’27, half or full values on renewable identification number (RIN) credits for imports under RFS, reallocation of volumes waived under small-refinery exemptions granted, section 45Z guidance and implementing regulations—are critical for the survival of some and the success of others in this space, so this is one monkey wrench I would have welcomed. But it never came.

Several of the editorial contributors in this edition of Biobased Diesel®—which fortuitously coalesced as “the Feedstock Issue” in late-stage editing—did a fantastic job naming and navigating the uncertainty.

As indicated on the magazine cover, we have no less than seven feature articles and columns focused on various aspects of feedstock.

From high-level job openings at a well-known feedstock collection and processing company (p. 42) to strange substances in feedstock and advanced testing methods to detect them (p. 30), the growing importance of traceability (p. 56), used cooking oil (UCO) monitoring equipment and services (p. 22), how silica gels perform in feedstock pretreatment (p. 18), a new alcohol-based extraction technology (p. 14) and—the pièce de resistance in terms of the crossroads between policy and feedstock—how new regulations could incentivize a feedstock once thought remarkably unworkable and highly improbable for these industries: trap brown grease (p. 38).

In this special edition of the magazine, we present to you a record eight feature articles and seven perspective columns by yet another record 17 contributing writers, plus yours truly.

Outside of feedstock and policy, other important topics covered include Iowa state policy and B30 (p. 26), cutting-edge lab equipment (p. 34), an overview of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) landscape (p. 48), why Michiganders are bullish on biodiesel (p. 50), how quality and performance drive biodiesel adoption despite policy uncertainty (p. 52), best practices for optimal pump performance (p. 54), an engine association’s perspective on policy (p. 58), and how many of these topics will be addressed at an upcoming event in Iowa (p. 60).

Speaking of events, if you’re in Orlando for the Clean Fuels Conference in January, stop by the Biobased Diesel® booth (No. 6) and say hi, we’d love to see you there.

Ron Kotrba

Editor and Publisher

Biobased Diesel®

Correction: In the Summer 2025 print issue, we stated on page 37 that “One restaurant owner reported losing $40,000 from the theft of 20,000 pounds of UCO…” This should be gallons, not pounds.