You don't have to quit using biodiesel just because the temperature drops below freezing. As a matter of fact, many fleets in cold climates use biodiesel all year round at percentages as high as 20% (B20).

One case in point is Yellowstone National Park. Located in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, winter temperatures at Yellowstone often dip below zero Fahrenheit. Their entire diesel fleet of 300 vehicles as well as boilers and other diesel equipment operates on B20 biodiesel.

Biodiesel can gel in cold weather, just like regular No. 2 diesel fuel. Biodiesel has a higher gel temperature than petroleum diesel, but when blended at 20% or below, the temperature gap is reduced. B5, or 5%, biodiesel is considered ASTM D975 diesel spec fuel, so if buying ASTM quality fuel then cold weather performance will be the same as straight No.2 diesel. Even at 5%, biodiesel adds back the lubricity that ultra low sulfur diesel lacks. Fleet managers and truckers are doing their part to use American made fuel that reduces dependence on foreign oil, lowers greenhouse gasses and emissions, and supports U.S. farmers and the economy.

The City of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota has been using biodiesel blends since 1999 in its fleet of over 100 vehicles, including fire trucks, utility and police vehicles. According to Steve Lawrence, Superintendent Operations Maintenance for the City, they have had no weather issues at all with B20. The reason they made the switch according to Lawrence was, "to eliminate the cloud of black soot that used to fill the garage when we started up our vehicles each morning. With biodiesel, the sooty cloud is gone and the air the drivers breathe is cleaner."

Biodiesel blends can be treated with additives for winter use. Many additives for cold weather performance of both biodiesel and No. 2 diesel are commercially available. If storing tanks outside in below freezing weather,consider tank heaters or insulation. Using B20 throughout the winter months just takes a little preparation and good fuel management practices. Many northern U.S. fleets take precautions and have success using biodiesel.

Another fleet out of St. Paul Minnesota Eureka Recycling uses B20 all year round in its fleet of 21 trucks and has since 2003. Carolyn Loper, Director of Operations for Eureka Recycling says that they "never had any issues related to fuel, even on the coldest mornings when the temperature is well below zero."

The National Biodiesel Board recommends these tips for cold weather performance:

• Use high quality biodiesel fuel that meets the national standard, ASTM D 6751. Purchase fuel from a reputable retail station or distributor. Distributors that are part of the BQ-9000 quality biodiesel program can be found at www.bq-9000.com.
• Use a B20 blend, 20% biodiesel and 80% diesel, or below.
• Make sure that your supplier is providing biodiesel that is fully blended with diesel preferably using injection blending—Separate load lines piped together in the shape of a Y prior to reaching the fuel tank or tanker truck.
• Add kerosene to biodiesel.
• Treat both biodiesel and diesel with cold weather additives.
• Use block and filter heaters if your vehicles are stored outside or if you can, store your vehicles indoors.

Many other northern fleets use biodiesel all year round with no issues including University in Cambridge, Mass. Harvard uses B20 in 70 vehicles including snow plows.

Cranmore Mountain Ski Resort in New Hampshire burns B20 in its snow grooming fleet. Cranmore's Operations Director, Jim Mersereau, recently told the NBB that "even with heavy snow falling and temperatures hovering around 20 below, we can count on our biodiesel-powered vehicles to start up and perform with no problems at all. We have been very pleased with biodiesel's performance and have had absolutely no cold weather problems."

To see other "cool biodiesel customers," go to http://www.biodiesel.org/cold/.