PITTSBORO -- Piedmont Biofuels has become accredited as North Carolina's first BQ-9000 producer of biodiesel. BQ-9000 is a Quality Management Program administered by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission out of Jefferson City, Mo.

The program calls for strict protocols, thorough documentation of standard operating procedures and verification by outside auditors. Certification focuses on storage, sampling, testing and best production practices.

"We knew it would be a high bar to clear," said Lyle Estill, president of Piedmont Biofuels, "But going through the process has helped us a lot." (Estill writes a monthly My View column for The Chapel Hill News.)

Work on the accreditation began in late 2007, and represents a significant investment in time, equipment, and money.

"At some points it demanded a cultural shift at our plant," said Rachel Burton, one of Piedmont's founders.

Piedmont Biofuels produces roughly a million gallons of B100 biodiesel per year at its Pittsboro location. It also has an active Design-Build division, which builds community scale biodiesel plants, a consulting business that assists clients with regulatory and technical production issues, and a Research and Development arm.

By industry standards Piedmont is a small biodiesel producer, and as such they are the first small producer to achieve BQ-9000 Certification. "We have a lot of 'firsts' in this business, " said Estill. "Sustainable biodiesel production is a frontier, and when you are living on the frontier, you find yourself covering new ground from time to time."