State of Hawaiʻi Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke presents the Governor’s proclamation to Pacific Biodiesel President Bob King and Director of Operations Jenna Long at the State Capitol on March 10, 2025. Photography credit: Pacific Biodiesel

Governor Green proclaims today “Pacific Biodiesel Day” in Hawaiʻi, Recognizing Pioneering Local Company That Initiated Global Biodiesel Industry Three Decades Ago

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAUI, HAWAIʻI (March 18, 2025) – Pacific Biodiesel today announced that March 18, 2025 has been proclaimed “Pacific Biodiesel Day” in Hawaiʻi by Governor Josh Green, M.D. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025, Pacific Biodiesel created the first retail biodiesel pump in America on Maui where the company was founded in 1995 by Bob and Kelly King. The longest operating biodiesel producer in the USA, Pacific Biodiesel has been the only commercial producer of liquid biofuels in the state for three decades and today annually produces nearly 6 million gallons of biodiesel at its refinery on Hawaiʻi Island. This 100% renewable fuel is sold entirely in Hawaiʻi.

In his proclamation, Gov. Green encouraged “the people of the Aloha State to join me in honoring this local company for their efforts in demonstrating a community-based model of regenerative agriculture and renewable fuel; helping to fight climate change; and supporting energy security and food sovereignty in our state.”

The proclamation was presented by Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke to Pacific Biodiesel President Bob King and Director of Operations Jenna Long at the State Capitol last week.

March 18 Annually Is National Biodiesel Day

Each year, “National Biodiesel Day” honors the visionary inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolph Diesel, on his birthday, March 18. Invented in the 1890s and unveiled at the World’s Fair in 1900, his diesel engine was originally designed to run on peanut oil. Rudolph Diesel pioneered an innovative engine technology and the recognition of plant oils as a renewable fuel source.

And it was another pioneer, Pacific Biodiesel Founder Bob King, who saw the potential (and first developed the commercial-scale production technology) for recycling used cooking oil into biodiesel – a clean-burning biofuel that replaces petroleum diesel (fossil fuel). King created the first retail biodiesel pump in America at the Central Maui landfill back in 1995 – the year he and Kelly King co-founded Pacific Biodiesel. That revolutionary first plant on Maui initiated the entire biodiesel industry – which has since scaled up to more than 2 billion gallons of biodiesel produced in the USA last year.

In addition to “National Biodiesel Day,” this March 18th also marks “Global Recycling Day” and “National Agriculture Day” – all reflective of Pacific Biodiesel’s community-based biodiesel production model that supports Hawaiʻi’s circular economy, as stated in the Proclamation by Gov. Green:

  • WHEREAS, Pacific Biodiesel was founded on Maui in 1995 and is now the nation’s longest operating biodiesel producer and the only commercial producer of liquid biofuels in Hawaiʻi for three decades, marking 2025 as the company’s 30th Anniversary; and
  • WHEREAS, March 18 is observed annually as “National Biodiesel Day,” and on behalf of this year’s anniversary milestone, we honor Pacific Biodiesel, a local company that created the first retail biodiesel pump in America; and
  • WHEREAS, today, Pacific Biodiesel employs nearly 100 Hawaiʻi residents statewide and produces 6 million gallons of biodiesel annually at its world class refinery on Hawaiʻi Island, with all fuel sold entirely in the State of Hawaiʻi; and
  • WHEREAS, local biodiesel production supports Hawaiʻi’s mandate for 100% renewable electricity production by 2045, and biodiesel fuel is a renewable fuel that can be used in any diesel engine; and
  • WHEREAS, March 18 is also “Global Recycling Day,” and Pacific Biodiesel produces renewable fuel from used cooking oil recycled from Hawaiʻi’s restaurants so that for each gallon of used cooking oil recycled, nearly one gallon of biodiesel is locally produced, keeping waste oil out of local landfills; and
  • WHEREAS, March 18 also marks “National Agriculture Day,” and Pacific Biodiesel produces fuel from locally grown crops like sunflowers, supporting diversified agriculture and food security in Hawaiʻi; and
  • WHEREAS, in 2024, Pacific Biodiesel expanded its agriculture operations to Kauaʻi as part of a federally funded project to develop regenerative agriculture-based biofuel from multiple locally grown oilseed cover crops in rotation with other food crops; this project includes expanded production of culinary oils and other value-added food products, meal for animal feed, biodiesel, and co-products from biodiesel production such as glycerin and potassium sulfate, a fertilizer for agriculture; and
  • WHEREAS, scaling up local agriculture allows Pacific Biodiesel to source 100% local feedstock for its fuel production and keep agricultural lands active to increase food security and help mitigate wildfire risk; and
  • THEREFORE, I, Josh Green, M.D., Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, do hereby proclaim March 18, 2025 as “PACIFIC BIODIESEL DAY” in Hawaiʻi 

Pacific Biodiesel is headquartered on Maui, with nearly 100 employees statewide, including 50 working at its Keaʻau refinery on Hawaiʻi Island.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Joy Galatro
Marketing Director
Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, LLC
jgalatro@biodiesel.com
808-866-5104