• About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Contact Us
    • Hours & Directions
    • EC in the News
    • Job Openings
  • Programs
    • Berkeley Curbside Recycling
    • Berkeley Farmers' Markets
    • EcoHouse
    • Ecology Center Store
    • Farm Fresh Choice
    • Information Services
    • Terrain Magazine
  • Projects
    • Fiscal Sponsorship FAQ
    • Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters (BACH)
    • Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL)
    • Berkeley Community Gardening Collaborative
    • EBT Farmers' Market Nutrition Project
    • Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)
    • Indigenous Permaculture Project
    • West Berkeley Alliance for Clean Air and Safe Jobs
  • Get Involved
    • Classes & Events
    • Job Openings
    • Volunteer & Intern
    • Become a Member!
  • Resources
    • EcoCalendar
    • EcoDirectory
    • Fact Sheets
    • Library
    • Newsletter
  • Support Us
Ecology Center

Getting Started with Biodiesel

from the Berkeley Biodiesel Collective

Future of diesel vehicles - http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_future.html
List of diesel vehicle Models - http://www.gobiodiesel.com/diesel-vehicles.html
Mercedes Models - http://home.hiwaay.net/~gbf/mbmodels.html
Volkswagen Westfalia Diesel - http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/jag/vw/

Diesel vehicles for sale:

  • Craig's List best SF Bay Area source - www.craigslist.org
  • E-Bay Motors - www.motors.ebay.com
  • Autotrader - www.autotrader.com
  • Yahoo Classifieds - http://autos.yahoo.com/
  • Bay Classifieds - weekly newspaper classifieds
  • Diablo Dealer - weekly newspaper classifieds
  • Classified Flea Market - weekly newspaper
  • Volkswagen TDI - “TDI Club - Forum”: http://www.tdiclub.com/
    - Also a biodiesel section of the forum and cover all VW issues including warranty
  • Frank Baba in Redding rebuilds Mercedes Wagons (530) 941-4046

Diesel mechanics:

  • David Pham in Oakland – pager: (510) 310-2060
  • Peter Zoldos in Suisun peter@autozen.com
  • Coby Smolens of ValleyWagonworks in San Rafael, (415)457-5628 cobys5@attbi.com
  • Mac Jacobson- Mercedes Custom, Fremont. Does a pre-purchase checkup. 510-244-4161
  • Precision People’s Car Repair- 1346 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley 510 524 1911 -older Volkswagen
  • Noric, Auto Alpina- 1499 San Pablo Ave, 510 524 5164

Biodiesel Basics:

  • Ecology Center Biodiesel FAQ
  • "From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank" (book) Joshua Tickell – www.veggievan.org (now www.biodieselamerica.org) (A bit out of date, but one of the only published resources on biofuels and an easy read.)
  • Making biodiesel and building a processor: http://www.journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html
  • Monthly listing of local biodiesel / SVO events & classes: www.groups.yahoo.com/group/norcal-biodiesel-events
  • "Biodiesel Homebrewers' Guide," Making and testing biodiesel. Available at Ecology Center Bookstore in Berkeley, or $5 plus shipping from wrench@tinkersworkshop.org

Buying Biodiesel: (prices subject to change)

  • BioFuel Oasis in West Berkeley –2465 4th Street @ Dwight, Berkeley, CA, 94710, $3.50/ gallon http://www.biofueloasis.com/ (510) 665-5509
  • Bay Area Biofuel - http://bayareabiofuel.com/
    Biodiesel made exclusively from 100% waste vegetable oil.
    Contact Ken Ott (office): 510-236-3385 or Vikash Singh (mobile): 650-400-0558
    Address: 112 Ohio Ave., Unit 1, Richmond, CA 94804
    Up to 55 gallons $3.46/gal.; pricing depends on volume--the more the merrier; min order 35 gallons, home/business delivery for $25 flat rate to Berkeley/SF/North Bay/East Bay.
  • Yokayo Biofuels - www.ybiofuels.org (877) 806-0900 Will deliver 200+ gal. biodiesel for a fee + about $3.40/ gallon (see website or call). Public pump in Ukiah $3.50/gal. Fuel is sourced from recycled content waste vegetable oil whenever possible. info@ybiofuels.org
  • Western States Oil (near the SJSU campus) on 10th St. San Jose, public pump (408) 2929-1041 for information contact Brent Laucher <brent@purpleluna.net>. Also Biodiesel Industries produced fuel. No minimum purchase, not cardlock, limited hours – closed on weekends.
  • Golden Gate Petroleum in Martinez (800) 244-4516 Claude – deliveries (55 gal. min.). Call for price
  • Real Good Solar Living Institute in Hopland - (1.5 hrs North of SF) public pump supplied by Yokayo. (707) 744-2017
  • Biofuel Station- Laytonville - 707 984 6818 (north Mendocino County on Hwy 101)
  • Monterrey- Alliance Fuel. Casa Verde and N. Fremont St. Supplied by Toro Petroleum out of Salinas. $3.25/gal

Biodiesel Resources:

  • Local community: Burnveggies (email listserve for Northern CA) online biodiesel and straight vegetable oil discussion. To join: www.goblin.punk.net/mailman/listinfo/burnveggies
  • www.journeytoforever.org Best website about biofuels!
  • Biodiesel Discussion Forums- for SVO and homebrew biodiesel: http://biodiesel.infopop.cc
  • Biodiesel Now - Commercial biodiesel and Policy discussion forum - www.biodieselnow.com
  • “Fat of the Land” video on vegetable oil fuels www.lardcar.com
  • Biodiesel Events in Northern California http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorCal-biodiesel-events

Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) and Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) conversion kits:

  • http://www.biofuels.ca/
  • http://www.greasel.com/
  • www.elsbett.com (single tank system from Germany)
  • Noteric Biofuels Inc. single tank kit local contact: Craig Reese (craigreece@earthlink.net) or 510-841-3607, 1-888-NEOTERIC (1-888-636-8374)

Other Local Coops

  • SF Coop: sfbulkbuy@yahoo.com Meets first Wed. of the Month

Updated 11/17/2004
Berkeley Biodiesel Cooperative (510) 594-4000 ext. 777 www.berkeleybiodiesel.org

Donate

Env Resource Ctr

EcoCalendar

EcoDirectory

Fact Sheets

Library

Newsletters
Ecology Center · 2530 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702
tel: 510-548-2220 · fax: 510-548-2240 · Contact Us