On a bright summer morning along Chicago’s lakefront, a Park District refuse truck idled in front of the Adler Planetarium. While the vehicle blended in with the city’s service fleet, it carried a quiet distinction: it was running on biodiesel made from Illinois soybeans.
Roughly 80 Park District vehicles — about a quarter of its diesel-powered fleet — now rely on soybean-based biodiesel blends. The initiative, launched in 2011, reflects Illinois’ broader role as a national leader in biofuels.
“It performs better than standard diesel, and the power is the same. It also benefits the health of our employees and park visitors,” said Mike Dimitroff, manager of cultural and natural resources for the Park District.
Illinois leads in biodiesel adoption
Illinois is the largest soybean-producing state in the nation, and farmers are finding new markets in biodiesel as exports face disruption. Advocates emphasize biodiesel’s environmental edge: it emits 50% to 80% less carbon than petroleum diesel and reduces particulate air pollution.
“It gives the greatest carbon reduction per dollar spent,” said Pete Probst, president of Chicago-based Indigenous Energy.
The state has backed biodiesel for more than two decades. A 2003 sales tax exemption on biodiesel blends helped make it price-competitive with traditional diesel. As of 2022, Illinois ranked third in both production and consumption of biodiesel, trailing only Iowa and Missouri.
Expanding industry footprint
Private companies are fueling expansion. Incobrasa Industries, based in Gilman, operates Illinois’ largest biodiesel plant and is undergoing a major expansion to meet demand. By 2030, the facility will nearly double its soybean crushing capacity and increase biodiesel output by 80 million gallons annually. The company sources soybeans from thousands of nearby farms, anchoring a regional supply chain.
“Demand for soybeans as food isn’t growing, but the biodiesel market is,” said Incobrasa president Aluizio Ribeiro. “There is even more growth potential in rail, shipping, and eventually aviation.”
Chevron Renewable Energy Group also operates biodiesel plants in Danville and Seneca, while other Midwest states continue to expand crushing and refining capacity. Since 2021, the U.S. soybean industry has invested more than $6 billion in new facilities, according to the National Oilseed Processors Association.
Looking beyond the farm
Soybeans are roughly 80% protein and 20% oil. While the protein side largely goes into livestock feed, biodiesel offers farmers a growing outlet for the oil fraction. That diversification matters: international trade tensions have hit exports hard, leaving U.S. growers vulnerable to swings in Chinese demand.
Biodiesel’s scalability, especially for heavy-duty sectors less suited to electrification, offers resilience. “It’s a great starting point for fleets looking to decarbonize while electric technology catches up,” Probst noted.
With new investments, favorable state policy, and proven performance in both municipal fleets and farm equipment, Illinois’ soybean-powered future looks poised for steady growth.
