Biodiesel has been produced commercially in Europe since 1992, and those countries account for more than 80% of global biodiesel consumption. European biodiesel sales grew by 54% in 2006 to just under 5 billion litres. Since 2006, biodiesel capacity has more than doubled. The International Energy Agency predicts that biodiesel has the capacity to displace 1.2% of the world’s diesel just by 2013.

However, the biodiesel industry around the world since 2007 has been under pressure from higher priced feedstocks. Biodiesel markets are experiencing double digit growth in the United States and Asia, in particular India and China, where the government target is 15% replacement of petrodiesel by 2020.

Blends vary from as little as 5% (B5) to pure 100% biodiesel, and the most common blends are B5, B20 and B100.