The automotive industry in the United States has taken a pounding during the great recession, accelerating a trend towards the introduction of the smaller and more efficient vehicles. Gasoline prices are no longer low, and lumbering, inefficient cars are now alien as we have seen the problems caused by very expensive fuel, even without a recession.

We are now likely to see more European-style cars on the road in the US. In Europe, efficient vehicles are the norm and you never see those big American clunkers on this continent. If we are looking at trends and expecting European vehicles to become widespread in the US, we can imagine that an increasing number of diesel vehicles will soon be revealed. The diesel engine is much more efficient than the petrol engine, even though the petro diesel fuel is a little more costly.

If we can foresee a definite upward trend from the one in 20 or so diesel engine cars currently in the US toward the huge numbers popular in Europe, then we can see how biodiesel may have a considerable future there. Not surprisingly, biodiesel fuel is much more environmentally friendly, emits very little greenhouse gases and can be made from readily available materials. The process for making biodiesel is fairly straightforward using animal fat or vegetable oil, commonly known as transesterification.

You may have already experimented with making homemade biodiesel in your garage and been quite successful. You might smell the makings of a cottage industry and be aware that in your particular locale there are no dedicated or existing biodiesel distributors.

If you have an entrepreneurial bent, a commercial biodiesel operation may well be worth considering. Consider where you could find the oils or fats you need, the methanol and caustic soda in the correct quantities. You will need a reasonably sized space to be able to set up the production process and while it will require a bit more than just a simple ramping up from wherever you are now, the basic parameters remain the same.

Before you will be able to sell products commercially, you must ensure a good level of quality and purity, get certified and find the right operational business licenses. The good news is that local governments, being keenly aware of climate related news, may make grants and incentives available to you to help you fund your operation. It is very trendy to be sustainable these days and authorities realise that they should make public funding available to those who are following this trend.

Learn lessons from those who are already set up. In certain parts of the country, biodiesel fuel users are more in evidence, especially in new England and the Northwest. If you research well, there is no reason why you should not benefit from an emerging trend. With so much change coming on the horizon, ever so much faster than we may realise, it only makes sense to become more sustainable as quickly as we can by turning to environmentally sound energy sources. Try biodiesel today, and see for yourself what the experience brings!