Government Incentives And Tax Credits For Biodiesel Production & Sale

Biodiesel production, distribution, and use, as withcompany sells the biodiesel retail which is then used in
many emerging alternative energies, has been aidedthe fuel tank of the buyer.
in large part by recent government incentives makingThe tax credits on Straight Biodiesel are equal to $1
biodiesel fuel production and distribution moreper gallon of agri-biodiesel and $0.50 per gallon of
attractive. These tax incentives put money back inwaste grease biodiesel. The tax credits on Biodiesel
the pockets of biodiesel producers who, presumably,Mixtures are $0.01 (a penny) per percentage point of
pass the benefits on to you, the consumer, withagri-biodiesel and $0.005 (half-a-cent) per percentage
lower biodiesel prices.point of waste grease biodiesel.
Not just any biodiesel is eligible for tax incentives. TheThat is, unless the amount of credit approved to
definition of biodiesel fuel, as its used for taxtaxpaying biodiesel companies applying for the credit
purposes, is monoalkyl esters of long chain fattyin a given year exceeds the annual cap of $1.5 million,
acids. Biodiesel production companies seeking any ofin which case the Department of Revenue will
these credits must ensure that they are makingprorate credits to biodiesel production companies
biodiesel fuel that meets the Environmental Protectionaccordingly.
Agency (EPA) requirements for registration of fuelsThese tax credits, however, are currently temporary,
and fuel additives as described in the Clean Air Act,and set to expire in 2008 an added incentive to get
as well as requirements put forth by the Americanstarted now on that biodiesel production company of
Society of Testing and Materials.your own that youve been dreaming about. Theres
All companies, whether a biodiesel productionliterally no time to waste.
company or not, that are selling or using biodieselAnother Federal Tax Credit, the Small Agri-Biodiesel
may qualify for the Biodiesel and Ethanol (VEETC)Producer Credit (Section 1345: Energy Policy Act of
Tax Credit, on their income taxes. There are two2005), grants $0.10 per gallon on up to 15 million
such types of credit.the Straight Biodiesel Creditgallons to small agri-biodiesel production facilities
(considered a general business credit by the IRS) theproducing less than 60 million gallons per year.
biodiesel in question must not have been mixed withIncidentally, there are local and state tax credits all
any petroleum-based diesel fuel, and the companyover the country available on biodiesel cost and costs
itself must be the biodiesel production companyon other alternative fuels. Visit: to find out what your
making it;the Biodiesel Mixture Credit the biodiesel inlocality offers.
question must contain only biodiesel fuel andAccording to recent U.S. Department of Agriculture
petroleum-based diesel, with absolutely no kerosene(USDA) study, demand for biodiesel production is set
added, and the company itself must be the biodieselto increase by at least 124 million gallons per year,
production company making it.however fears about the rapidly rising prices of crude
Additionally, for either tax credit on biodiesel cost,oil suggest that facilities might be making biodiesel
one of the following criteria must also be met;othefuel in even larger amounts and at an even faster
biodiesel production company actually uses therate.
biodiesel itself as a fuel;othe biodiesel production