Booming Biodiesel Industry to Hold Conference in S.F.

The four-day series of presentations and discussions takes place February 1-4 at Moscone Center West.

Biodiesel, a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fat, is now used in all of Muni’s non-electric coaches, along with the city’s fire trucks. Many of the double-decker tour buses seen around the city are also powered by biodiesel, as are the nautical vessels of the famous Red and White Fleet.

In all of these cases, the biodiesel is made by combining waste vegetable oil collected from area restaurants with standard diesel. This blend is cleaner-burning than traditional fuel, and can be used in any diesel-burning engine without modifying the original fuel system. San Francisco—one of the first cities in the country to offer biodiesel at a retail pump—is a source of great inspiration to the biodiesel industry, says Jenna Higgins of the National Biodiesel Board, organizer of the conference. And we think it will serve as inspiration to other cities around the country.

The technology used to produce biodiesel has been around for decades. But the growing desire of diesel users to reduce their reliance on imported petroleum and find a greener alternative to petroleum-based diesel has, over the last five years, resulted in what Higgins refers to as a biodiesel boom. Production has tripled, she says. We estimate that 700 million gallons of biodiesel were produced this year alone.

The newfound interest has also prompted the industry to seek out new source materials for biodiesel. Soybean oil and vegetable oil are the most common, but additional sources or feedstock materials are coming online as well. We’re seeing a renaissance in the area of feedstock development, Higgins explains. Researchers are looking at all sorts of nontraditional sources, from algae to seashore mallow, which farmers have traditionally considered a weed.

Identifying a number of sources materials, she says, is the best way to meet the growing demand for biodiesel: It’s like any other industry. A diverse industry is a healthy industry.

Higgins estimates that at least 100 major cities across the United States are using a biodiesel mix in municipal vehicles. Much slower to grow, however, has been the number of biodiesel-burning passenger cars on the road. The reason for that, she says, is that diesel passenger cars have never been as popular in this country as they are in Europe.

But we’ve been tracking public awareness [of biodiesel] from year-to-year, she says. Five years ago, only 27 percent of people were familiar with biodiesel. Today, that number is closer to 69 percent. And American automakers have committed to increasing production of diesel passenger vehicles.

So, as the public’s awareness of the benefits of biodiesel increases, Higgins expects to see more people switching out their gas-burning vehicles for diesel-burning ones, so that they can use biodiesel.

That’s what happened in the case of rocker Melissa Etheridge, a guest speaker at the upcoming conference. After penning the song I Need to Wake Up for Al Gore’s documentary about global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, Etheridge was determined to find a way to stop using fossil fuels. First, she began using biodiesel in her tour buses. Then, she traded in her personal car for a diesel-burning SUV.

She’s been very useful in helping increase public awareness, says Higgins. What makes her such a great spokesperson for this cause is that she uses biodiesel herself. She’s talking the talk and walking the walk. And Etheridge isn’t the only celebrity helping toot biodiesel’s horn; Neil Young, Willie Nelson and Darryl Hannah are among the big names helping spread the word.

In an effort to further increase the public’s awareness of biodiesel, the final day of this year’s conference will be free and open to the general public. Most of the sessions are geared toward professionals, but as conference attendance has grown, so have the number of non-industry attendees.

The event’s grown from 600 people the first year to 4,800 last year, says Higgins. And we’re now getting all types of people attending the conference. We’re expecting more non-industry people this year because the interest and enthusiasm over biodiesel is so strong in the Bay Area. So we wanted to give everyone who’s interested an opportunity come and learn.

Among the public day’s highlights are sessions with boating enthusiasts Pete Bethune and Bryan Peterson. In 2008, Bethune broke the world record for circumnavigation of the globe by speedboat in his biodiesel-powered boat Earthrace. Peterson attempted a similar voyage in 1994, in a biodiesel-fueled inflatable with solar-powered navigational instruments.

The marine market for biodiesel has grown considerably, Higgins explains. And we expect that will continue, because it just makes better sense. Biodiesel, if it gets in the water, it’s non-toxic. It’s a safe fuel. It’s a cleaner-burning fuel. And it’s much more pleasant to work with.

The National Biodiesel Board’s commitment to the environment extends beyond just promoting biodiesel. The organization recently moved into its new green headquarters in Jefferson City, Missouri. Among the building’s many eco-friendly features are non-toxic paint and carpet, and energy-efficient lighting and plumbing systems.

The organization is also determined to make the conference itself as green as possible. In addition to setting up recycling and composting stations throughout the exhibition area and using only recycled paper products, bottled water will not be served at the event. Instead, water coolers will be installed to minimize waste plastic, and untouched food will be donated to local homeless shelters.

With over 4,000 attendees expected, these efforts are likely to have a huge impact.

We’re also using real china and cutlery instead of the disposable stuff, Higgins adds. All of these things add up very quickly. We’re very proud of the greening efforts we’ve undertaken, because we take [greening] very seriously.