Biodiesel Station in San Francisco Coming Soon
It’s hard to believe that one of America’s greenest cities lacks a true biodiesel station. Yes, San Francisco has an Olympic station on Third Street however is only supplies commercially licensed diesel vehicles with “B20” which even in the controversial biodiesel world isn’t that green. If the building and fire departments sign off, then Dogpatch Biofuels will open in the near future. Yes, we can wait to smell all the great restaurant cooking oil waste from SF’s top level eateries filled into the hungry car engines.
- » See also: Study Shows Camelina-Derived Renewable Jet Fuel Reduces Carbon Emissions 84%
- » Get Gas 2.0 by RSS or sign up by email.
The women-owned (like Biofuel Oasis in Berkeley and Autopia in San Mateo) station recently received approval by the Planning Department. They plan on creating something more than just a “gas station”. Firstly, they will offer B100 which contains 0% petroleum. Yes, we’ve heard (and posted) some bad things regarding biodiesel and the food for fuel crises but as these owners argue, all biodiesel is not created equal.
Corn-based ethanol or imported palm oil biodiesel have significantly different impacts than biodiesel made from waste vegetable oil or other sustainable local sources. The owners realize (and everyone else should too) that biodiesel does not represent a cure-all solution, but it beats the heck out of using straight petroleum. Those truly concerned might want to ride a bike or drive an electric car.
The owners also stress that they fully maintain a commitment to sustainability and the local community. They plan to offer educational classes, as well as serve sustainable or organic products. Try finding that at your local Exxon station.
Let’s be honest here, there is not going to be enough waste vegetable oil to make biofuels a viable alternative, if anything they are a diversion to where we should be, that is electric cars. The US had viable electric cars but got side tracked by oil, and is constantly in danger of repeating that mistake. Biofuels appear to be a political thing in the US relating to all the farming communities. Well as food gets more expensive (partly due to biofuels - more than 3% I might add) then food farming should remain profitable. That and setting up wind / solar farms.