Biodiesel is a safe, nontoxic and biodegradable substitute for petroleum diesel that is made from renewable vegetable oils, recycled cooking greases or animal fats and meets ASTM D 6751. It can be used in any diesel engine with little or no modification and is compatible with the existing petroleum distribution infrastructure.

Biodiesel is manufactured in an oleochemical process called transesterification. Triglycerides (organic fats and oils) are reacted with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. The result is biodiesel, glycerin, and other by-products. Biodiesel has a better emissions profile than regular diesel and can be used in its pure form or can be blended with petroleum diesel.

The US petroleum diesel market is very large - 63+ billion gallons. The majority is used for on-road vehicles, primarily for medium and heavy-duty transport. Diesel fuel demand continues to grow at a rate of 2% a year, driven largely by increased goods transport. The biodiesel market is in its infancy and is growing rapidly at a rate of 300% per year. The US biodiesel market produced 450 million gallons last year and is forecasted to grow three-fold to over one billion gallons by 2010.

Resources

San Francisco Biofuels Co-op (SFB) provides biodiesel (B99.9) to its members. SFB is a community-oriented cooperative organized to advance the use of biofuels in San Francisco.
www.sfbiofuels.org

Green Depot is an organization which has been established to facilitate more sensible and responsible use of our natural resources through increased awareness, advocacy and implementation of biomass fuels such as biodiesel, and other sustainable forms of energy, products and services.
www.GreenDepot.org

The California Biodiesel Alliance (CBA) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting biodiesel in California.
www.californiabiodieselalliance

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is the national trade association representing the biodiesel industry as the coordinating body for research and development in the United States.
www.nbb.org

E2 is a national community of business people who believe in protecting the environment while building economic prosperity. Working with NRDC, E2 serves as a champion on the economic side of good environmental policy by taking a reasoned, economically sound approach to environmental issues. E2 works at both the state and national levels through its bipartisan efforts.
www.e2.org