NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO • October 28, 2021
Biodiesel is a version of diesel fuel, which is used by trucks and other heavy-duty engines, that's made from oils extracted from plants, like soybeans or canola, or even animal fat. It's set for an unprecedented boom in the next few years because of government policies aimed at finding alternatives to fossil fuels, and helping the climate. Those incentives are driving up demand for soybeans and other oilseeds, pushing prices higher and squeezing supply. Farmers are happy about higher prices for their crops, but many environmentalists are worried that the pressure to produce greater supplies of biodiesel could lead to more land-clearing for soybean fields or palm oil plantations, ultimately releasing more greenhouse gases and damaging the environment.