Biodiesel has recently been recognized as a viable alternative energy source and fuel additive by several international groups. Its many advantages over conventional petroleum based diesels include being environmentally friendly due to causing no harmful emissions, as well as being readily biodegradable. Biodiesel also enjoys a certain amount of sponsorship from environmental groups because certain types of biodiesel are made from waste cooking oils, allowing easy recycling of something that would otherwise go to waste after use. Furthermore, it's performance specs initially show as much efficiency as normal diesel fuels, but it also gives the added advantage of increasing the lubrication of the engine parts it runs through, improving engine efficiency in the long run by as much as 30% as well as cleaning out the engines, making them run smoother, and prolonging their lifespan. Several firms in recent years have placed research into producing biodiesel, and with funding from various investors and even government sponsors, these firms have come up with safe and effective fuels. Some reliable names in the biodiesel industry include the following companies: NBB This is not a manufacturing company per se, but merits first mention because it is the National Biodiesel Board. Its main goal is to promote the overall production, trade, and development of biodiesel in the United States. NBB subsidiaries and sponsored corporations have to pass strict standards, so they can assure the public of safe and effective forms of biodiesel. Pacific Biodiesel Situated in Hawaii, Pacific biodiesel specializes in the creation of fuel from cooking oil byproducts. Their approach is extremely environmentally friendly, employing used vegetable and animal cooking oils as their source of fuel production. Their manufacturing plant takes these used materials that would normally simply be discarded, and processes them into useable biodiesel. The unused portions of the oil are also used, and are converted in another facility into soap and detergent products. Footprint Recycling These manufacturers also specialize in the recycling of cooking oil into biodiesel. They make a distinction between conventional biodiesel and WVO, or Waste Vegetable Oil. Their definition of biodiesel is that is processed directly from soybeans and coconut oil, while waste vegetable oil (WVO) diesels are made especially from recycled vegetable-based cooking oils. Minnesota Soybean Processors Minnesota, together with its famous adjoining city St Paul, form the economic engine that drives the Upper Midwest of the United States. The Minnesota Soybean Processors are a conglomerate that specializes in the production of soybean related products. One of their main products is soybean-based biodiesel, and one of the strengths of this group is that they have tie-ins with other Minnesota based institutions to further their research and development, including the state sponsored University of Minnesota. Biofuel Industries Based in Texas, this company eschews the usual approach of other biodiesel manufacturers. Instead of utilizing waste vegetable oil or soybeans as a fuel source, they convert other plant oil into biodiesel. Actually, they originally focused on vegetable oil biodiesel, but as time went by this particular group made a point of branching out. Their specialty is in finding sources aside from WVO and soybeans to use as a base material for creating biodiesel. Currently, their research includes using coconut oil and palm oil, and they are continuously exploring other oilseed plants as viable options for alternative fuel.