Renewable Diesel

[Don Wilson]

Renewable Diesel
I pulled into a Unocal station to get diesel last night on my way home from the genealogy library and I saw they only had Renewable Diesel. I had some concerns not knowing much, actually nothing about it. I pulled up an article on my phone and read what I could find on it from three different articles. They made it appear to be better than the biodiesel that we are currently getting!
I put 18 gallons in to fill my tank figuring Unocal would not sell something that would harm my engine and I could blend it with the 20 gallons diesel currently in that tank and also add diesel from my external tank as well.



Have any of you used the Renewable Diesel or have done any studying on it? Please share your experience and thoughts with me and the rest of our members.

Don

[dfredendall]

I have run several tanks of their R95 Renewable Diesel, both towing and empty. It runs great. No noticeable change in mileage, power or performance. It is 95% synthetic, has much higher Cetane rating then Diesel 2. It is not the same as BioDiesel 15 or 20. They say it is NOT BioDiesel. I was originally skeptical, but not now. With Bio and Diesel 2 I was seeing sooting/clouding on my chrome exhaust tips. R99 has none of that. So Far So Good. This is another California phenom.

[Don Wilson]

I have run several tanks of their R95 Renewable Diesel, both towing and empty. It runs great. No noticeable change in mileage, power or performance. It is 95% synthetic, has much higher Cetane rating then Diesel 2. It is not the same as BioDiesel 15 or 20. They say it is NOT BioDiesel. I was originally skeptical, but not now. With Bio and Diesel 2 I was seeing sooting/clouding on my chrome exhaust tips. R99 has none of that. So Far So Good. This is another California phenom.

I found an article by Renewable Energy Group from Ames Iowa with a map that shows there are refineries in 8 different location and Terminals in about 15 states but only retail facilities in California and Illinois!

So is this renewable diesel available all over the U.S. or only in California at this time!

Don

[dfredendall]

My research seems to show that CA is leading the way retailing R95 aka: Green Diesel through Unocal/76. It is also being used in industrial and municipal government agencies in various states (CA, Oregon, Washington) for emergency generators and such. It is brewed from mulch, compost and other green sources, rather than vegetable fats (french fry oil) like BioDiesel is. Reports indicate it is more expensive at the pump than traditional diesel. I cannot tell though. With CA prices licking at $5/gallon, and CA gas/fuel prices always climbing I can’t tell whether compost diesel costs more than dinosaur diesel. Engine manufacturers have not issued any warnings that I have found.