For owners of cars with diesel engines, it’s a real option.

To that end, in 2005 a group of residents formed a biodiesel co-op in South Salem called Flower Power. On Sept. 11, the members hosted a Biodiesel Drive-In: a car show, potluck dinner and movie to share knowledge about biodiesel.
“Annual membership dues are $35, and the current price per gallon for biodiesel is $4.48, including federal and state road taxes. We are open to new members,” spokesperson James Santana said.
The co-op has 38 members who are all willing to pay more per gallon in a quest to create less pollution and to spend their money locally, Santana said.
“Members use biodiesel for different reasons: carbon reduction, building the local economy, foreign wars, Deepwater Horizon, Exxon-Mobil’s record profits and the smell of donuts,” Santana said, joking about members who use reclaimed cooking oil purchased from local restaurants.
The diesel engine, created in 1893, was meant to run on a variety of fuel sources.
One of the alternatives is vegetable oil, which can be used in nearly all diesel engines. Biodiesel, on the other hand, is a product produced from vegetable oil that also can be used in diesel engines.
The co-op purchases American Society of Testing and Materials-certified biodiesel made from99 percent recycled vegetable oil from Oregon-based Sequential-Pacific Biodiesel.
Mike Romanini, owner of Prestige Auto Repair and a biodiesel user, was on hand at the drive-In to answer mechanical questions about switching to biodiesel.
Romanini’s shop works on Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Mini vehicles. Many of his customers have diesel engines in their cars. Half of those use biofuels, he said.
Romanini said that most of what he has learned about using biodiesel has come from his customers. He spends a lot of his time questioning them about their car’s engine performance, gas mileage, repair issues and modifications.