Biodiesel Consumers' Council Advocates a Locally-Based Biodiesel Industry Northern California (February, 2004)-- The first California Biodiesel Consumers' Council (CBCC) conference was held January 31st and February 1st, 2004 at Pitzer College in Claremont, California.
The conference was the culmination of months of discussions held between biodiesel consumers, small producers, and distributors about how to unify the collective vision of creating a human scale, sustainability-oriented biodiesel industry. The Biodiesel Consumers' Council (BCC) is an advocacy group that formed as a result of the conference. Biodiesel is made from renewable resources like new or used vegetable oils or animal fats. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, and can be used in any diesel engine. When using 100% biodiesel (B100), harmful carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 80%, and carbon monoxide emissions are an average 44% lower than those of petroleum diesel. The cancer risk of diesel exhaust is reduced by 90%, and the smog-forming potential is nearly 50% less than petroleum diesel. And it can be made right in your own backyard! When compared to petrodiesel, a Harvard University study discovered that B100 biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 70%. Other alternative fuels such as CNG (compressed natural gas) increases them by 20%. Gasoline emits 415% carbon monoxide into our environment compared to petrodiesel, while B100 biodiesel reduces carbon monoxide emissions by 45%. Currently, the national biodiesel industry closely follows the traditional petrochemical and agricultural business models. Biodiesel firms tend to be oriented toward capturing economies of scale. Small producers and distributors are rare, largely because of industry board membership requirements that many small businesspeople see as discriminatory. Biodiesel is currently marketed toward large fleets, often in heavily petrodiesel-diluted blends. However, many small businesspeople feel they can best serve an emerging market of small fleets and individual drivers. These "small-time" users demand higher blends of biodiesel and personalized customer service. The promise of the BCC brings the issues of fuel manufacturing and distribution to a local level, where users and consumers can participate in the industry discussion. Local economies can thrive on the jobs and revenue realized from growing fuel crops, recycling waste vegetable oil from local restaurants, manufacturing, and distributing biodiesel. A locally-oriented biodiesel industry would create a 'backward cascade' of needed products and services, which are also best supplied locally. However, this model of local autonomy is threatened in the state of California by regulations from the state's Department of Food and Agriculture Division of Measurement Standards. Because there is no stand-alone ASTM standard for biodiesel, these regulations require that biodiesel must meet the same ASTM standards as petroleum diesel, which would exclude the sale of any biodiesel blend above B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petro). The environmental benefits of using B20 are negligible compared to B100. For example, carbon monoxide emissions are reduced 44% with B100 and only 9% with B20. The regulations also state that any fuel pump dispensing a biodiesel blend above B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% petro) require a label warning consumers that the use of the fuel can possibly void the warranty on their vehicle. The BCC is launching an educational campaign to inform the public about the dangers of classifying biodiesel with the same standards as petroleum diesel. The CDFA must understand that comparing the two is like apples and oranges, and that the future of an entire industry is at stake. The second meeting of the BCC is scheduled for Sunday, March 14th, in Ukiah, CA. For details and updates, see www.biodieselcouncil.org ______________________________________________________________________ ________________ For more information about the BCC and the CDFA regulations, contact Kumar Plocher at Yokayo Biofuels, [EMAIL PROTECTED], 707-472-0900; Jennifer Radtke or Hope at Biofuel Oasis [EMAIL PROTECTED], 510-665-5509; or visit www.biodieselcouncil.org ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
