In short: There are about 1,236 public renewable diesel stations, and 1,135 of them are in California, with most of the rest in Oregon and Washington. Any diesel engine can use it. Search the map below for stations near you.
Map and station data: U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center Station Locator. Stations are listed by their owners and networks; check the network app before you drive.
What is renewable diesel?
Renewable diesel is made from fats and oils, such as used cooking oil and animal fats, through a refining process that makes it chemically almost the same as petroleum diesel. Because of that it meets the regular diesel standard and works as a drop-in fuel in diesel engines, at any blend up to 100%, without changes to the vehicle.
It is sold mostly on the West Coast, where state clean fuel programs make it competitive with petroleum diesel.
Who uses it
Any diesel vehicle: pickups, cars, trucks, buses and equipment. Many West Coast fleets and cities have switched their diesel fleets to it.
Where the stations are
The U.S. Department of Energy lists 1,236 public renewable diesel stations open in 8 states (October 2026). The states with the most:
- California (1,135)
- Oregon (81)
- Washington (15)
- Idaho (1)
- Montana (1)
- Wyoming (1)
What renewable diesel costs
Because nearly all renewable diesel is sold in California, the U.S. Department of Energy compares it with California diesel, not the national average. In the DOE’s Alternative Fuel Price Report for April 2026 (prices gathered April 1–30, 2026, about 120 of them, nearly all from California):
| Fuel | Average price per gallon |
|---|---|
| Renewable diesel, California | $7.50 |
| Diesel, California | $7.42 |
| Renewable diesel, all reports (incl. four from Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming averaging $6.23) | $7.46 |
| Diesel, West Coast region | $7.16 |
| Diesel, national average | $5.55 |
So at the pump, renewable diesel cost about the same as diesel in California: 8 cents a gallon more in April 2026. Both had jumped by more than $2.60 a gallon since January 2026. The report is a snapshot from local Clean Cities coalitions; fleets buying on contract often pay less.
Energy content matters too. The DOE’s fuel properties chart says a gallon of renewable diesel holds about 96% of the energy in a gallon of diesel. Our example (an estimate, not a quote): a diesel truck getting 22 mpg over 12,000 miles uses about 545 gallons of California diesel, roughly $4,050 at $7.42. If mileage drops in line with energy content, the same miles take about 568 gallons of renewable diesel, roughly $4,260 at $7.50: around 5% more. Real-world mileage varies by engine and driving.
Vehicles that can use renewable diesel
This is the easy part. Renewable diesel meets ASTM D975, the same U.S. standard as petroleum diesel, so any diesel vehicle or machine can use it at 100% or mixed with regular diesel in any amount. No conversion, no new parts, no special warranty approval like biodiesel blends above B5 need. Gasoline cars cannot use it, and there is no conversion for them.
- Cars and light trucks: for model year 2026, the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov lists diesel versions of the Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe and Suburban and the GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL, with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel rated 19 to 25 mpg combined. Older diesel cars and pickups can use it too.
- Heavy-duty: diesel pickups, vans, delivery trucks, buses, tractors, construction equipment and generators, most of which are not rated on fueleconomy.gov.
- Fleets: because nothing changes on the vehicle, West Coast cities and fleets can switch a whole diesel fleet by changing what goes into their tanks.
Programs and incentives (2026)
There is no federal credit for drivers who buy renewable diesel. What we confirmed on IRS, EPA and DOE pages in October 2026:
- The federal renewable diesel mixture credit and the other section 40A credits expired for fuel sold or used after December 31, 2024 (IRS Publication 510).
- The Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z) pays registered producers for low-emission fuel sold from 2025 through December 31, 2029. Fuel made after 2025 must come from feedstocks grown in the U.S., Mexico or Canada, and fuel made from another transportation fuel no longer qualifies.
- The EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard rule, finalized March 27, 2026, sets the biomass-based diesel requirement, which renewable diesel helps meet, at 8.86 billion RINs for 2026 and 8.95 billion for 2027, before reallocated refinery exemptions.
The real driver is state clean fuel programs, listed in the DOE’s Laws and Incentives database. They make fuel suppliers lower the average carbon intensity of what they sell, and low-carbon fuels like renewable diesel earn credits that suppliers can trade:
- California: the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, run by the California Air Resources Board, requires cuts in carbon intensity through 2045. The DOE notes that California’s certified values show renewable diesel cutting carbon intensity by about 65% on average versus petroleum diesel.
- Oregon: the Clean Fuels Program targets 20% lower carbon intensity than 2015 by 2030 and 37% lower by 2035. Oregon also requires at least 5% biodiesel in diesel, and renewable diesel can be used instead.
- Washington: the Clean Fuels Program targets 20% below 2017 levels by 2034, and at least 2% of diesel sold must be biodiesel or renewable diesel.
- Illinois: from April 1, 2026 through November 30, 2030, diesel blends with at least 19% renewable diesel or biodiesel are exempt from state sales tax (10% from December through March).
If a tax credit matters to your business, ask a tax professional. Our incentives guide covers home energy programs.
Supply and trends
Renewable diesel grew fast. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Monthly Energy Review (September 2026) shows U.S. production rising from about 0.86 billion gallons in 2021 to 3.19 billion in 2024. It eased to 2.95 billion in 2025, when the federal credits changed, while U.S. consumption fell from 3.67 to 2.47 billion gallons. Imports dropped sharply and the U.S. exported more than it imported in 2025.
2026 is up again: first-half production was about 1.59 billion gallons, 14% more than in the first half of 2025, and about 2.3 times as much as biodiesel (our comparison of EIA figures).
On January 1, 2026, the EIA counted 19 plants making renewable diesel and other biofuels such as renewable jet fuel, able to produce about 324,000 barrels a day (roughly 5 billion gallons a year, our conversion), up from 308,000 a year earlier. Most capacity is on the Gulf Coast (160,000 barrels a day) and the West Coast (119,000), including former petroleum refineries converted to renewable fuels.
Safety and handling
- Handle it like diesel. It meets the same standard and uses the same tanks, pumps and engines, so the usual diesel safety rules apply.
- Lubricity. Like ultra-low-sulfur diesel, renewable diesel needs a lubricity additive; finished fuel sold under the ASTM D975 diesel standard must pass its lubricity test.
- Cold weather. Renewable diesel can be made to meet a range of cloud points, so winter performance depends on the grade. In cold areas, ask the station or supplier whether it is a winter blend.
- Not the same as biodiesel. It is a hydrocarbon made with hydrogen, not an ester, so biodiesel’s blend limits and shorter storage life do not apply.
More renewable diesel questions
How much does renewable diesel cost?
In the Department of Energy’s April 2026 price report, renewable diesel averaged $7.50 a gallon in California, 8 cents more than California diesel at $7.42. A few stations outside California averaged $6.23. Since a gallon holds about 4% less energy than diesel, the cost per mile can run a little higher. Prices change weekly, so compare at the pump.
Is renewable diesel better than regular diesel?
For the climate, usually yes: California’s certified values show about 65% lower carbon intensity on average, and a DOE lab study found lower nitrogen oxide emissions. For your engine, it works the same as diesel, with a very high cetane number. The trade-offs are price, about 4% less energy per gallon and limited availability outside the West Coast.
Can I mix renewable diesel with regular diesel?
Yes. Renewable diesel can be blended with any amount of petroleum diesel, so you can fill up with whatever is available and top off with either fuel. Some pumps sell blends that also contain biodiesel; in that case, keep the biodiesel share within what your engine maker approves (check your manual). See the biodiesel map and guide.
Sources, read October 3, 2026: U.S. DOE (Alternative Fuel Price Report, April 2026; Alternative Fuels Data Center renewable diesel, fuel properties and Laws and Incentives pages; Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide), U.S. EIA (Monthly Energy Review, September 2026; plant capacity, January 1, 2026), EPA (Renewable Fuel Standard 2026–2027 final rule), IRS (Publication 510; 45Z and law-change pages). Cost per mile is our estimate. How biofuels are made: biofuel energy.
Before you go
- You do not need to change anything on a diesel vehicle to use renewable diesel.
- Pumps may be labeled "R99", "R100" or "renewable diesel"; some sell blends with regular diesel or biodiesel.
- Outside California, Oregon and Washington it is still rare: check the map before a trip.
Renewable diesel station questions
Can I use renewable diesel in my diesel truck?
Yes. Renewable diesel meets the same standard as regular diesel, so any diesel engine can use it at up to 100% without changes.
Why is renewable diesel mostly in California?
California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and similar programs in Oregon and Washington, reward low-carbon fuels, which makes renewable diesel competitive there.
More station maps
Learn more: How biofuels work · Biodiesel map.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Station Locator (public, open stations, read October 3, 2026) and fuel pages.