Fueling tomorrow: An introduction to renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel

Moving people and goods around the world requires enormous amounts of energy. Trucking, aviation, rail and shipping all depend on reliable liquid fuels to keep supply chains moving and economies growing. Renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel help strengthen domestic energy production by turning used cooking oil and animal fats into valuable drop-in transportation fuels. These fuels help diversify domestic energy supplies, support energy security and provide lower-emissions transportation solutions that can be used in existing engines and infrastructure.
 At Darling Ingredients, we are actively powering this shift toward a more secure, domestically sourced energy future. By supplying the essential feedstocks needed for these advanced drop-in fuels, and through Diamond Green Diesel, our 50/50 joint venture, we have become one of the largest producers of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel in the world.

What is renewable diesel?

Renewable diesel is a diesel replacement fuel made from natural fats and oils such as used cooking oil, animal fats and soybean oil. It is lower emitting but chemically indistinguishable from petroleum diesel fuel, making it a versatile, drop-in solution.
Renewable diesel benefits are immediate:

• Reduced emissions: Renewable diesel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%, compared to traditional fossil fuels.
• Works in current engines and pipelines: Because it is chemically indistinguishable  from conventional diesel, renewable diesel can be pumped straight into existing trucks and engines and petroleum pipelines with zero modifications needed.
• Less pollution: Research shows renewable diesel produces fewer nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. NOx emissions are a major driver of poor air quality, including smog, which can negatively impact both ecosystems and human health.
• Superior Cold-Weather Performance: Renewable diesel is highly efficient at low temperatures. This allows it to handle harsh winter conditions seamlessly.

Beyond the road: Expanding fuel options for aviation

The same domestic feedstocks used for renewable diesel are also expanding energy options for commercial travel and freight through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Like renewable diesel, SAF functions as a "drop-in" solution, meaning it can be safely blended with standard jet fuel without requiring modifications to existing aircraft engines or airport fueling infrastructure.

By utilizing domestic waste streams like used cooking oils and animal fats, SAF provides the aviation industry with a reliable, lower-emissions alternative to conventional jet fuel. It leverages resources we already produce, helping insulate the aviation sector from global oil market volatility while meeting the industry's need for lower-carbon flight operations. 

Maximizing resources

Whether powering freight on the highway or commercial flights in the air, the solutions to our energy challenges aren't always about extracting new resources. They can be about maximizing the ones we already have.

Darling Ingredients knows that effective resource recovery is the key to actively fueling a more secure, resilient and lower-emissions future. This powerful shift from waste to cleaner fuels proves that the resources we need to power tomorrow are already right in front of us.