Motie, The NBB does not work that way. I am not a member...no need for it as I can't afford to make bidiesel commercially.
A NBB members' product does not just "magically" become bioidesel. They must agree to a quality control program and post $100,000 bond which they forfiet if they fail to maintian a minimum quality. The NBB won't take thier word for it any more than the EPA would..independent verification is required. The NBB is to my knowledge the only quality assurance that the public currently has that commercial biodiesel is in fact biodiesel at all. The reason the membership cost is so high is to assure that fast buck folks don't get the NBB seal of approval and then sell crap. Economically a bad move you see as they lose thier $100,000 bond if they do. Milk is milk..eggs are eggs. The average consumer can readily tell if either is bad before much harm is done. Not so biodiesel. Biodiesel could be nearly any oily liquid resembling biodiesel that the seller chooses to call biodiesel. Without enforcable minimum standards and independent verification that those standards are being adhered to the public has no way of knowing what they are being sold or if it is safe to use. So far the NBB is the only entity that I know of attempting to do that. It was not cheap to develop the standards and I think that the $100,000 bond is a great way to ensure that NBB member producers don't cheat and sell low quality biodiesel. It is in fact consumer protection at a relativly low cost that is borne entirely by the producers...those that theoretically stand to profit the most. I have seen no evidence that the NBB is a lacky of the big boys. I do find it unfortunate that the minimum that any commercial producer of biodiesel must come up with to share in the benefit of thier research is a $100,000(bond) plus as it effectivly barrs very small producers of Biodiesel from commercial production of road fuel. But that is still a bargain compared to the milion or so one would have to spend to develop and independantly test thier own biodiesel standards. When I researched the possability of making a profit by producing biodiesel commercially for road use no matter how I tried I could not project a profit while remaining within the law for an investment of less than $275,000. The profit at that level was less than the interest I could have made if I had $275,000 and left it in the bank. As a business investment the risk was bigger than farming and the profit even lower. Trying to make a profit at the 40 gal. per day level and remain within the law is impossible if you are attempting to sell road fuel. There are other alternatives though. Dana --- motie_d <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Neoteric Biofuels Inc." > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > At first, I sympathized with YBD's plight, a sort > of common > reaction of > > sympathy for the "little guy". > > I'm still at that stage I guess. I grew up on a > Dairy Farm, and I'm > glad there was no government agency that singled out > our farm for $1 > Million testing to prove our milk was as good as the > neighbor's, or > that our chickens laid just as good of eggs. The > cows ate our > homegrown hay without complaint, and that was never > tested by an > outside Agency either. We even sold a few bales to > needy neighbors a > few times, or to someone who had a pet horse to > feed. > > > > > They seek a level playing field between > competitors and protection > of their > > customers against fly-by-night operators producing > inferior > products at > > lower cost. > If the implication is that this guy is producing an > inferior product, > shouldn't there be some kind of evidence needed? > > > > Setting standards and promoting membership to the > more or less > > self-regulating trade organization is the rule. It > gives regulators > the > > confidence to not over-regulate, and it gives > consumers confidence > in the > > product. If members cheat and put out a bad > product, they can be > turfed and > > the consumer and government regulators informed of > non-compliance, > > detrimental cost-cutting, etc. > How do they know when there is non-compliance > without testing it? Who > pays the $1 Million fee for the testing? > > > > > Small producers can do a good job, and the NBB > should know that and > be > > helpful and economical for small producers. > It sure sounds like they've fallen down on the job. > If he were to > join this group, would he no longer have to pay for > the testing now > being required? If he still uses the same production > methods as > before, suddenly membership would make his product > acceptable without > the need for $1Million dollars of outside testing? > > > > > > > They will not be allowed to free ride on the test > data and > standards that > > have been established for the industry. > So this is what it all really boils down too? Sort > of an unofficial > patent on biodiesel that everyone must pay license > fees to? And > a 'pet' government agency to enforce it. > Has anyone got any info on campaign contributions > made by the Board? > > > > > > In the meantime, suspend production. > Translation: The big guys can't compete with you, > because of the > outrageous amounts they've contributed to lobbyists. > >Buying from the majors would keep > > one's hand in and the doors open until those > efforts at making a > >place for > > small producers within the NBB hopefully pay off. > And the piece of paper on the wall would > 'officially' certify that > you are selling approved fuel, no matter what kind > of stuff is really > in the can! NO MORE TESTING OR LEGAL HASSLES! > There seem to be 3 choices available. > Pay whatever dues to the Board, and be official. > Pay extreme amounts for testing, possibly an annual > event. > Pay-off your own lobbyists. > > Motie > > > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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