About the Coop
Before we opened our first pump in January 2006, access to biodiesel for consumers in the Los Angeles area was best described as dismal. Few options existed other than driving to Ventura to get B100 at the pump or to Cudahy where you could get B20 at the pump or B100 in bulk. Otherwise, you had to have drums of fuel delivered to your residence, which was costly and only possible if you had storage space.
A meeting was held on October 21st, 2005 to establish the viability for a fuel purchasing coop and solicit potential members. At that meeting, enough initial members signed up to form the core of the coop and a trailer was ordered the next day. The model for each facility is a box cargo trailer with a 1,000 gallon capacity in DOT approved containers. By operating as a mobile fuel storage and distribution source, many of the regulations regarding stationary fuel tanks are mitigated. By May, we had officially incorporated as the Biodiesel Cooperative of Los Angeles, Inc.
The first trailer operated on the Westside until mid-June, 2006, when we achieved our goal of influencing the opening of public biodiesel pumps in the area. Because we were able to demonstrate a demand for high-quality locally produced B99, three commercial gas stations started selling B99 at the pump in the Pacific Palisades and then in Marina Del Rey, and finally in Brentwood (with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by then-Senator Barack Obama). Unfortunately, with biodiesel being effectively outlawed in Underground Storage Tanks in 2008, the gains that we have seen have receded, as fuel distributors cannot store B99 in their underground tanks.
Like a phoenix arising out of the ashes, we just shook our wings and flew to the other side of town, with the same goal of getting a pump open in that neighborhood. We have two locations operating currently. The original trailer distributes biodiesel on the Eastside of LA on North Avenue 21, just a bit east of Dodger Stadium. In mid-September, 2006, we opened a second facility in Torrance, with the help of City of Torrance Department of Public Works. This expanded the access of fuels into the south side beach communities.
We now have 120+ members with 2 trailers in 2 locations.The two coop facilities together have, since January 2005, provided over 80,000 (!) gallons of biodiesel to coop members. Our primary goal is the same – Show enough demand for high-quality, locally produced biodiesel in a specific region to demonstrate a regional market and encourage the development of real brick and mortar fueling stations.
The trailers can also be used as mobile education facilities to be taken to Earth Day events, local schools, farmers markets and similar venues. In this way we are able to educate the public and to demonstrate why the sustainably produced biodiesel fuel is needed.
We strive to provide our members with highest quality, sustainable B99 at the most affordable price. This includes all taxes and storage expenses.(See the most current price posted on the Welcome page.) We shop around for the highest quality, lowest-priced, locally-produced fuel available.
If you have questions about membership, please feel free to contact us, biodieselcoop@yahoo.com
Links:
- Biodiesel Collective Conference
- Biodiesel Cooperative of Los Angeles Inc.
- BioFuel Oasis
- Eco Limo
- GeoGreen Biofuels Inc.
- Imperial Western Products / Biotane
- Manning Fuel
- Maxum/General Petroleum
- National Biodiesel Board
- New Leaf Biofuel
- NREL Biodiesel Handling & Use Guide
- Peoples Fuel Cooperative
- Piedmont Biofuels
- Promethean Biofuels
- Propel Biofuels
- Renewable Energy Group/Tellurian Biodiesel
- SoCalBUG (Southern California Biodiesel Users Group)
- Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance
- Yokayo Biofuels