ABSTRACT
The German biodiesel market differs from those of other countries. In most countries (Czech Republic, France, Italy, Sweden, and the United States), biodiesel is sold as a blend with petrodiesel in varying concentrations. Germany is the only country in which biodiesel is sold as pure fuel, available at public filling stations and with a growing market share. In the beginning, only a few producers supplied the growing demand on an equilibrium level. Beginning in 1999, the situation changed completely, showing a demand of biodiesel exceeding the production capacity (Fig. 1). Decreasing prices for vegetable oils and increasing petroleum prices increased interest in the production of biodiesel, and many new producers appeared on the market.
