New numbers show biodiesel production already at nearly 1 billion gallons for the year, and with four months left in the year, it should easily go over the billion-gallon mark, a goal hit in each of the past two years. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) says the EPA shows 148 million gallons of biodiesel production for the month of August, putting year-to-date volume at a record pace of nearly 916 million gallons.

The monthly numbers show a total of more than 177 million gallons of Biomass-based Diesel in August. That total includes nearly 30 million gallons of renewable diesel, a similar diesel replacement made with the same resources but using a different technology.

For the year, biodiesel and renewable diesel together have already exceeded 1 billion gallons, with nearly 1.1 billion gallons total.

NBB points out biodiesel is the first EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel to reach commercial-scale production nationwide.