Fuel Your Diesel Car with Biodiesel, Now Available in Las Vegas!

Biodiesel for the diesel car-driving public is available at 16 Sinclair Oil locations in Southern Nevada -albeit in small amounts.

The fuel, called B5, is a blend of 95 percent Type 2 diesel oil with 5 percent biodiesel, which is soybean or vegetable oil converted into fuel, Haycock Petroleum specialist Gary Weinberg said.

For a more detailed account of how biodiesel works, check out this AC article. For a history of biodiesel's comeuppance in America, go here.

Worried diesel customers might hesitate to use the unusual blend in their vehicles, but Weinberg said that the biodiesel blend is in most ways the same, and in some ways better, than regular diesel.

"It provides better lubrication for the fuel system, and reduces emissions by 5 percent," Weinberg said.

The emissions reduction is related to how much B100, or pure biodiesel, is in the blend, he said.

Bud Blackmore, spokesman for the Salt Lake City-based oil company, said the company believes the retail customer is ready for biodiesel. Distributor Haycock Petroleum has provided biodiesel for Las Vegas and Clark County's fleet vehicles since 1999.

"Offering biodiesel for public consumption makes good sense for environmental reasons," Blackmore said.

It also makes good business sense, since the 2005 Energy Policy Act allows for a $1 tax credit per gallon of B100 fuel.

For instance, Weinberg said, if Haycock Petroleum sells 10,000 gallons of B5 biodiesel, that breaks down to 500 gallons of B100 and therefore $500 for the company. Weinberg said the tax incentive is for companies like Haycock to put into their facilities biodiesel, and to expand and improve to make room for more B100.

Incorporating biodiesel into the diesel gas used by any diesel car is actually quite simple.

"The beauty of biodiesel is you don't have to convert anything," Las Vegas Regional Clean Cities Coalition coordinator Dan Hyde said.

Any diesel engine can take biodiesel of any percentage, B5 to B100, and accept biodiesel and regular diesel interchangeably.

In other words, if you currently drive a diesel car, you can drive that puppy over to a Sinclair gas station and fill it with the available B5 diesel blend - even if your car has never taken biodiesel before. And, you never have to use biodiesel again (though you should).

Even if you're just on vacation in Las Vegas and drove your diesel car there, you and your car (and Las Vegas's air quality) can still enjoy the benefit of Sinclair's B5 option during your trip, and go back to regular diesel at home.

That is, unless Sinclair Oil starts offering biodiesel across the nation!

1. 24/7 Express #1
Address: 201 N. Stephanie/American Pacific
Henderson, NV 89074
Phone: 702-932-3210

2. 24/7 Express #2
Address: 785 W. Craig Rd. / Revere
North Las Vegas, NV 89032
Phone: 702-633-7227

3. 24/7 Express #3
Address: 6460 S. Decatur/Sunset
Las Vegas, NV 89118
Phone: 702-248-1329

4. Dale's Sinclair
Address: 1625 Nevada Highway
Boulder City, NV 89005
Phone: 702-294-1828

5. Dino Mart (Trimm II)
Address: 3280 S. Decatur/Desert Inn
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Phone: 702-320-3071

6. Dino Mart (WGF)
Address: 3260 Losee Rd./Cheyenne
North Las Vegas, NV 89030

Phone: 702-644-2427

7. Fills
Address: 7110 S. Durango Dr. / Arby
Las Vegas, NV 89113
Phone: 702-454-5505

8. Glendale Sinclair
Address: 2300 E. Glendale
Glendale, NV 89025
Phone: 702-702-864-2277

9. Guru Express Market
Address: 7730 S. Jones Blvd./Robindale
Las Vegas, NV 89139
Phone: 702-433-9322

10. Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza
Address: I-15 Exit 75
Moapa, NV 89025
Phone: 702-702-864-2602

11. One Stop
Address: 9010 W. Flamingo / El Capitan
Las Vegas, NV 89147
Phone: 702-240-4016

12. Short Line #4
Address: 500 S. Decatur Blvd./Alta
Las Vegas, NV 89107
Phone: 702-877-6616

13. Short Line #10
Address: 6390 N. Durango/Centennial
Las Vegas, NV 89149
Phone: 702-633-7227

14. Village Shop #6
Address: 1080 Whitney Ranch / Russell
Henderson, NV 89014
Phone: 702-458-3525

15. Village Shop #7
Address: 3815 E. Craig Rd. / I-15
North Las Vegas, NV 89030
Phone: 702-632-2999

16. Village Shop #8
Address: 4171 Boulder Hwy. / Lamb
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Phone: 702-433-8277