In Washington, President Barack Obama has issued a Presidential Memorandum that all federal car fleets must buy only 100% alternative fuel vehicles by the end of 2015. The memo included issues such as vehicle size, engine size, optional equipment, and optimum fleet size as well as leveraging purchasing dollars “to build manufacturing capacity for more alternative fueled vehicles.”

The National Biodiesel Board “applauded the White House’s directive, ordering the federal government to move toward alternative-fuel vehicles, pointing out biodiesel’s unique position as a widely available advanced biofuel that significantly reduces emissions and can be used in existing vehicles.”

Chris Thorne of Growth Energy added: “This demonstrates the Administration’s consistent commitment to reducing our dependence on foreign oil by promoting the use of domestically-produced alternative fuels like ethanol in the federal automotive fleet. Ethanol is the most affordable alternative to oil, and is the only commercially-viable alternative we have to oil today.”