California Variance requirement for B99

2008-03-17T08:07:16-08:00

For those of you wondering why Conserv Fuel pulled the biodiesel hoses off of three pumps at our station, the answer is the CA Department of Measurement Standards (DMS). According to California law, biodiesel is classified as a fuel additive and not a fuel unto itself. Biodiesel (B99.9/B100) is a clean burning renewable fuel, which since August 18, 2004 has been sold in California as a development fuel. Sales are restricted through the variance procedures to centrally fueled fleets, at controlled access fueling systems, through co-op organizations or to qualified members of biodiesel users groups.

The California Department of Measurements Standards (DMS) requires that all vendors of biodiesel and biodiesel blends apply through the variance procedure to receive authorization to sell non-specification fuels. This variance procedure will be in place until ASTM issues stand-alone fuel standards for B100 and/or B20 as fuels. Although biodiesel currently has an ASTM standard (D-6751), the standards title is “ Biodiesel Fuel (B100) Blend Stock for Distillate Fuels “. Without standards, which identify biodiesel as a fuel, special interest groups have been able to prevent the sale of B100 to the public and further require that biodiesel blends conform to petroleum distillate (D-975) standards. At this time California Business and Professional Code section 13450(a) requires that all diesel fuel sold in the state “shall meet the specifications set forth in ASTM D-975”

In short, if Conserv Fuel does not enforce this state variance requirement, DMS will shut down all of our B99 pumps. Unfortunately, California is the only state in the nation that requires that B99 customers be members of a users group. This variance is one of the biggest hurdles currently obstructing the availability of biodiesel throughout the state of California. We need to activate the biodisel community to write letters to their local representatives and the governor asking them to revoke this ridiculous state mandate.

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California Variance requirement for B99