Renewable Fuel Interview -Jolie Ginsburg & Brian Deninger

https://vimeo.com/907078850

From Diesel to Sustainable Fuel: A Story of Innovation and Community Impact

And so, for us, the quality we needed to run a commercial fleet was there. We couldn’t have done it without the Bentley biofuel business that was operating in Nevada, along with other facilities run by Kumar North of the Bay.

That allowed us to continue operating our fleet and move forward with our sustainability goals. There was a period when Volkswagen faced issues with emissions reporting, which resulted in many diesel vehicles, including Golfs, Jettas, and some SUVs, being returned. The emissions data they had released was incorrect.

That situation created a significant challenge for Dogpatch, putting pressure on its ability to remain a viable station. So we began focusing on how we could distribute this fuel more widely. We started having discussions with a company in San Francisco called Big Bus, a globally operating tour company, and we were able to transition their entire fleet.

The positive outcome for our local community was that many of the tourist buses in San Francisco began running on alternative fuel. While we didn’t initially have the capacity to scale distribution widely, we were able to support operations because we had the facility and fuel available on-site.

We were also able to supply fuel to co-op members who could come in and fuel their vehicles, while encouraging broader community participation. The goal was to build a network of people who could expand the program and make alternative fuels a more significant part of San Francisco’s infrastructure.

The San Francisco Biofuels Co-op was supported by members like Michelle Wiggers and Robin Gold, who helped initiate the development of a biofuel station. The co-op community played an important role in pushing the project forward, which ultimately benefited the city of San Francisco.

The station also became an important resource for companies like Incredible Adventures, providing a reliable place to fuel. A significant amount of effort went into bringing the project to life, from securing a location to building out the facility.

Initially, the station operated on limited hours — about 35 to 40 hours per week, primarily during the middle of the day. Eventually, operations were taken over as Michelle and Robin shifted focus to other responsibilities.

For fleet operations, having access to consistent, high-quality biofuel was essential. This was made possible not only through the local station but also through the broader biofuel network, including facilities in Nevada and others operated by Kumar based in the North Bay.

This infrastructure allowed the company to maintain its fleet and continue progressing toward its sustainability goals. At one point, when Volkswagen faced issues related to emissions reporting, it further highlighted the importance of reliable, transparent fuel alternatives.

The San Francisco Biofuels Co-op had members like Michelle Wiggers and Robin Gold who wanted to start a biofuel station, and other members of the co-op helped support getting that pushed through, which was great for San Francisco as a city.

It was also great for Incredible Adventures to have a place to fuel, and they spent a lot of energy putting it together, finding the space and building it out.

But they were only open 35 to 40 hours a week, during the middle of the day.

We were able to take over for Michelle and Robin, who were quite busy with their other work.

For us, the quality we needed to run a commercial fleet was there, and we couldn’t have done it without the biofuel business happening in Nevada, along with other facilities run by Kumar in the North Bay.

That allowed us to continue to keep our fleet running and move toward our sustainability goals.

There was a time period where Volkswagen got into trouble with emissions information they had put out. As a result, a lot of people were returning their Volkswagen vehicles — Golfs, Jettas, and some SUVs — particularly the diesel models, because the emissions data had been incorrect.

That, in my mind, put a significant burden on Dogpatch to remain a viable station, so we started focusing on how to distribute this fuel more widely.

We were able to have discussions with a company in San Francisco. It’s a tour operator called Big Bus. They are a globally operated tour company, and we were able to switch that entire fleet.

The good news for our local community in San Francisco is that many of the tourist buses running today are operating on non-petroleum, domestically produced fuel.

And that’s an amazing situation.

Jolie Ginsburg and Brian Deninger, owners of Dogpatch Renewable Fuels, and Incredible Adventures, San Francisco, CA.