In 2005, the size of the biodiesel market in North and Latin America combined was esti-mated at 0.4 metric tonnes, modest compared to the European market. Nevertheless, there are numerous projects throughout America to produce and promote biodiesel. The USDA, for example, has offered grants for biodiesel production through the Commodity Credit Corporation, while the transportation bill passed by the U.S. Senate in 2004 includes a tax credit of US$1/gallon and US$0.50/gallon for biodiesel blending produced from virgin oil and non-virgin oil, respectively.

At the end of 2007, the US government issued a specific biodiesel mandate, under which use of biodiesel use is required to grow from 500 million gallons in 2009 to one billion gallons in 2012.

n Latin America, the biodiesel market is mainly centered on developments in Argentina where production is expanding rapidly (mainly for export) and Brazil, where the government has mandated a 2% biodiesel blend by 2008 and 5% by 2013.