Much of the increase in production has been attributed to strong federal policy support for the industry. In 2011 those policies included the $1-per-gallon tax credit that was reinstated in December 2010 and the first full year of implementation of the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard program.

"We've been seeing a lot of stories about setbacks in the renewable energy sector recently, and I think our success in 2011 reflects the bigger picture reality, which is that strong energy policy is working to stimulate production of clean, American-made energy," said Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs for the National Biodiesel Board.

Before the biodiesel tax incentive was enacted and the Renewable Fuel Standard was in place the industry produced a mere 75 million gallons in 2005.

"The industry’s success clearly demonstrates that the biodiesel tax incentive and the Renewable Fuel Standard are working just as Congress envisioned," Steckel added. "Our industry is creating jobs, reducing our dependence on imported fuel, and improving the environment."

The 9th Annual National Biodiesel Conference & Expo opens next week in Orlando, Fla. as the industry experiences record energy production and sales levels. After a year of retraction the industry saw resurgence in 2011, nearly tripling its 2010 production to more than one billion gallons. The growth showcases the results of an effective domestic energy policy.

Florida is a fitting location for the Conference as the state is home to an increasingly vibrant biodiesel industry and many success stories. Here is a sampling of Florida biodiesel users:

• Florida Power & Light Company
• Orlando & Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airports
• Lynx Transit
• NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
• Universal Studios
• University of Central Florida
• University of South Florida
• Greenwave Biodiesel, of Ft. Lauderdale, is a biodiesel producer.

The three-day event runs Feb. 6 -8. For the first time this year, NBB is including a special full-day Sustainability Symposium on the final day of the Conference. It is co-sponsored by the United State Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE). Presentations on the impact of cleaner-burning biodiesel will feature opportunities to diversify energy sources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce impacts to the environment and protect America’s food chain.

For more information, go to: www.biodieselconference.org/2012.

As it has with other biodiesel feedstocks such as animal fats, recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and canola oil, the EPA's proposal shows that biodiesel produced from camelina oil reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared with diesel fuel. This lifecycle reduction in emissions qualifies biodiesel as an “Advanced Biofuel” under the program.

"Biodiesel's evolving feedstock diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and we're pleased to see the EPA recognizing camelina as yet another feedstock that meets the agency's standards as an Advanced Biofuel," said Don Scott, director of Sustainability at the National Biodiesel Board. "This is good news for our industry and will give biodiesel plants another tool in the toolbox as they continue producing record quantities of America's Advanced Biofuel."

Biodiesel made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as agricultural oils, recycled cooking oil and animal fats, is the first and only commercial-scale fuel produced across the U.S. to meet the EPA's definition as an Advanced Biofuel.

The 20-year-old Department of Navy-operated tour boats were recently replaced with five new boats fueled with B20 and capable of operating on B100. These new vessels take visitors to and from the USS Arizona Memorial. According to the USDA, the fleet’s goal is to eventually transition to B100. Biodiesel for the operation is sourced from Hawaii-based Pacific Biodiesel Inc.

According to information released by the USDA, the development of renewable energy is particularly important to Hawaii, which relies on imported fossil fuels for over 90 percent of its energy needs.

“Ongoing research and commitment to the development of renewable energy will help lessen this dependence and enable Hawaii to become a model for the production of drop-in fuels for automobiles, jets, tactical vehicles and electrical generators,” said the USDA in a release. Many native Hawaiian plants can replace these existing fuels, without disrupting current fuel distribution networks or engines.

The contest recognizes the best student video highlighting the importance and benefits of renewable fuels—such as ethanol and biodiesel. Sam earned a $1,000 grand prize and his video was featured at the 2012 Iowa Renewable Fuel Summit on January 24 in Des Moines and posted on IRFA's YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/IowaRenewableFuels.

Biodiesel already has some original music from Emily Richards but we would love to hear more. If you have a biodiesel song or video you can send it to Kaleb Little. Check out Emily’s song “Biodiesel Willie” on YouTube.

Owned and operated by the state transportation department, Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry service in the United States and third largest in the world. Twenty-two ferries transport 11 million passengers from the mainland and larger islands across Puget Sound each year, using 18 million gallons of diesel fuel.

Washington's transportation department concluded a five-year pilot program in 2009 that determined biodiesel blends to be a viable fuel source for normal operations in any weather condition. Today, a $165,000 American Recovery Act and Reinvestment Act loan through the DOE State Energy Program is supporting the ferries’ use of biodiesel blends that will prevent over 65 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the environment each year. In addition, the loan allowed biodiesel producer Whole Energy Corporation to install a system to blend biodiesel on distribution trucks. Since making the cost-competitive upgrade, Whole Energy has expanded its customer base to other ferry lines serving Puget Sound communities and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The Official Conference Blog will be the home to a wide variety of updates throughout the week including coverage of general sessions, news announcements, interviews with speakers and attendees, videos, and podcasts.

For the social media types, there is something for you too. The National Biodiesel Board Facebook Fanpage will be full of conference announcements and inside information from the NBB team. If Twitter is more your style, be sure to follow NBB Communications director Jessica Robinson at @Biodiesel_Media or communications staffer Jenna Higgins Rose at @Biodiesel_Media. And if you are tweeting about the conference be sure to include the hash tag #nbb12.

Of course the Conference Website remains the place to go for a list of events, session descriptions, speakers and other activities and official NBB news releases can be found at www.biodiesel.org.