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As we mentioned here before, one of the best ways to make biodiesel more mainstream is to get it into the mainstream of the trucking industry in this country.

This story on eTrucker.com says Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group (REG) is offering a service to truck stops across the country to make biodiesel more available:

REG’s Retail Biodiesel Blending Program, announced at the NATSO Show in Orlando, Fla., offers truck-stop operators both biodiesel injection equipment and a regular supply of high-quality biodiesel.

The new service “offers a tremendous incentive for truck stops to adopt a biodiesel blend program while ensuring their customers have access to the highest-quality biodiesel available on the market today,” said Gary Haer, REG vice president of sales and marketing.

REG is also keeping up its end of the supply line as it has seven biodiesel plants in production, three under construction, and another two being developed.

Biodiesel could save Americans billions of dollars, while making the country cleaner… that according to a spokesman for a Mississippi-based biodiesel manufacturer.

Dr. Richard Craven, of Mississippi-based Universal Bioenergy, tells AllHeadlineNews.com that the U.S. is going through 40 billion gallons of pertoleum worth $100 billion a year in the form of diesel:

But Craven says the U.S. can produce biodiesel as an alternative to diesel and purchasing this locally “can stimulate the economy by keeping our U.S. dollars in U.S. pockets.”

Craven acknowledges that an increase in the usage of biodiesel would profit Universal Bioenergy. But he points out that its benefits to other companies and industries, as well as to the environment, far outstrip those of the biofuel manufacturers.

He adds that since biodiesel contains no sulfur, it burns much cleaner than regular diesel and produces much less carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and other hydrocarbon emissions. In addition, the plant feedstocks to make biodiesel help clean up carbon emissions.

Colorado Springs, Colorado has been picked as the top municipal biodiesel fleet in the nation, according to Government Fleet Magazine.

The Colorado Springs Gazette says the city beat out San Francisco and Austin, Texas for the honor:

The magazine also awarded the city 17th in its overall rankings of public sector fleets using alternative fuels.

Since 2003, more than 2,400 pieces of city equipment have run on biodiesel, consuming almost 1.6 million gallons of B20 biodiesel. That is the equivalent of more than 5 million pounds of carbon dioxide not making it into the atmosphere, or 491 passenger cars not driving for one year.

The biodiesel documentary “Fields of Fuel” has walked away with one of the top honors at this year’s Sundance Film Festival at Park City, Utah.

This story from Biodiesel Magazine has more about Josh Tickell’s documentary regarding biodiesel and America’s need to become independent from foreign oil:

“Fields of Fuel” was chosen for the Audience Award for Best Documentary Film and was presented to Tickell by host William H. Macy. The film’s producer and other crew members accompanied Tickell onstage to accept the award. In his acceptance speech, Tickell said, “May we work together to create a green and sustainable future.”

Tickell has been working on the film for the past 10 years. After being accepted for Sundance, Tickell was invited to Sundance founder Robert Redford’s private resort for a screening of the film the night before the kickoff of the festival.

The movie got a standing ovation from its first showing, and it was sold out for every screening at Sundance.