SF Biodiesel is a San Francisco based biodiesel production company. SF Biodiesel is currently developing a 10 million gallon per year biodiesel production facility in San Francisco. Our model is to use locally available feedstocks for local biodiesel production and consumption.
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fat that has gone through a transesterification reaction. A triglyceride (these may be animal fats, virgin vegetable oil, or used vegetable oil) is reacted with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. The result is biodiesel, glycerin, and other by-products. Biodiesel is biodegradable and is less polluting than regular diesel. Biodiesel is compatible with existing diesel engines and can be used in its pure form or can be blended with petroleum diesel.
The US petroleum diesel market is very large, at about 62 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 very rapidly. The market grew 300% last year from 25 million to 75 million gallons. It is forecast to grow tenfold, to one billion gallons by 2010.