AGQM and FAM carry out a joint Round Robin Tests with Biodiesel and rape oil fuel

Round Robin Tests for the purpose of examining the test methods and the correct mode of operation in professionally working laboratories can look back at a long and successful history in the FAM – Technical Committee for Mineral Oil and Fuel Standardization of the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) of the Fuel and Lubricant Sector. The rising use of bio-fuels and bio-based blending components has confirmed the increasing necessity to carry out Round Robin Tests also with these product classes. It is for this reason that the Association for Quality Management of Biodiesel (AGQM) carries out Biodiesel analysis Round Robin Tests as part of its quality assurance system. The activities of both FAM and AGQM have developed increasingly into a close cooperation for some years now. This year’s internationally announced Round Robin Tests will be attended by more than 60 laboratories of Biodiesel producers and commercial test institutions. The requirements concerning the Round Robin Tests’ informative value have also been tightened during recent years. When conducting the Round Robin Tests jointly in 2010, FAM and AGQM do not only wish to satisfy these higher requirements merely with a larger number of participants, but also with more meaningful statistical evidence to be derived from the tests’ overall assessment. The Round Robin Tests will be assessed on the basis of standardized statistical principles which are internationally recognized in the mineral oil industry for fuels and lubricants and described in all detail in DIN standard EN ISO 4249.

As specified by the requirements contained in the Bio-fuel Quota Act (BiokraftQuG) and its subordinate regulations, this round robin test will analyze FAME (pursuant to DIN EN 14214) and rape oil fuel (DIN V 51605). The event will be recognized by the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) or Germany’s main customs offices as round robin test in the sense of the currently valid statutory regulations and the result of it, in connection with other quality assurance measures, as proof of qualification which, in turn, is a prerequisite for obtaining the right to issue self-certificates in evidence of having satisfied the requirements of the Bio-fuel Quota Act or the Energy Tax Act of current German law.

The successful participation of service laboratories in this round robin test will count for them as pre-qualification in their efforts to bid for analysis contracts for monitoring the 10th BImSchV (fuel marking and quality ordinance) that will be awarded by the relevant authorities in the federal states.

In view of the increasing international goods traffic, which will also concern bio-fuels, it must be expected that mineral oil companies which buy, say, FAME as blending component will take a more critical stance towards the quality of the analysis certificates provided and wish to have the acceptance of such documents supported by verifiable quality assurance measures, e.g. the participation in Round Robin Tests. The attendance of the ring test is mandatory for AGQM members and participants in the international certification system for the Biodiesel production AGQM Certified (BPAC). Even engine and vehicle manufacturers require nowadays charge-related individual certificates proving the quality of the products concerned, so as to be able to ward off unjustified claims arising from complaints. With their joint Round Robin Tests, FAM and AGQM make a concerted contribution to increasing the application safety of Biodiesel and rape oil fuel.

The strategic approach to the Round Robin Tests and their assessment will also be a subject at the 4th International Conference that AGQM has organized for Biodiesel manufacturers in Berlin on May 31/June 1, 2010.