Pilot now dispenses B99 biodiesel, a first for travel center networks
It was 125 years ago in Paris, France, at the World's Fair that Rudolf Diesel revealed his namesake engine to the world. It was appropriate, as the Bavarian immigrant was born in the City of Lights on March 18, 1858. It's also appropriate that March 18 is now National Biodiesel Day, because Diesel had always envisioned using bio sources, such as peanut oil, to fuel his engines someday. He'd have seen it for himself if not for his mysterious death on the English Channel in 1913.
Biodiesel's day finally came in the 1937, but plant and animal derived fuels have since been more niche, though that is changing. A sign of that is Pilot's announcement that three of its locations will dispense B99 biodiesel for commercial fleets, the first of which in Decatur, Illinois opened on what would be Diesel's 167th birthday.
Manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled grease, B99 Biodiesel has been shown to help reduce carbon emissions in commercial trucking and provides some maintenace benefits.
The U.S. Department of Energy noted high-level biodiesel blends and B100 (pure) can serve as a solvent and can clean out a vehicle's fuel system, releasing deposits accumulated from petroleum diesel. The DOE cautioned that "the release of these deposits may initially clog filters and require frequent filter replacement in the first few tanks of high-level blends."
Pilot's pilot project is also a first for travel center networks, and was made possible though a collaboration with PepsiCo and agricultural supply chain manager ADM. Fleet sustainability innovation company Optimus Technologies also provided technology that upgrades diesel engines to operate on up to 100% biodiesel.
The initial rollout includes:
- 4030 East Boyd Road, Decatur, Illinois
- Currently available
- 11957 Douglas Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa
- Coming this spring
- 8787 South Lancaster Road, Dallas, Texas
- Coming this summer
Pilot noted in a release that making the sustainable fuel available in the travel center space is a step in the right direction towards making the low-carbon solution more accessible to fleets.
"We know how important sustainability is to our customers and strive to help meet these growing needs for more sustainable fuel options for commercial fleets," said Eric Fobes, head of renewables at Pilot. "Introducing B99 at our travel centers is another way we support fleets committed to reducing carbon emissions. This collaboration with PepsiCo, ADM and Optimus Technologies exemplifies how partnerships can create impactful solutions.”
