I run two CRDs on biodiesel as well as my F350 Powerstroke (which has been burning B100 for 4 years). Here in the Seattle area biodiesel is everywhere so availability is not an issue. Price can vary quite a bit so it pays to shop around. I just paid $3.50/gal for my B100 next to a pump that showed $3.59 for regular diesel. But, some people were selling B100 for as high as $4.28.
I am near completion of a biodiesel storage shed that holds about 800 gallons. This way I can do dollar cost averaging and make large purchases when the prices look decent. It also helps us budget and track our fuel usage and gives us a 24 hour per day gas station that requires no out of the way stops. The shed is completely self-contained with a 12 volt diesel pump that runs on a Trojan deep cycle battery that is kept charged by a solar panel. I also insulated the tanks in new fueling shed to keep them at a more consistent - and slightly warmer - temperature during the winter. All the framing was done using lumber cut from our property and milled by our neighbor, the pump was used, the tanks were recycled, the roofing was excess material from a job site, the lights are super bright fog lamps from a wrecking yard, so the whole thing with tanks and all was about $500. I'm by no means a cheapskate but it was really quite easy to do it this way.
Decent quality biodiesel stores for a long time in an airtight container - especially if you add biocides and use water abosorbing filters. I did not drive my truck very often last winter and it took 6 months to go through a tank of B100. Never had any problems whatsoever - even with it sitting in the gas tank in variable weather. (although I would not recommend this and, yes, I do keep the filters and water separators clean and do filter it as it goes into the tank.)
Much of this issue comes down to knowing your feedstocks (just ask!) and knowing which is best for your climate and which is most sustainable in terms of production.
I now have a total of 150,000 combined miles of experience with B100 and the only thing I am doing this winter is adding 10% kerosene to the mix to lower the gel point - thus I am actually running B90 this winter. In the future, I intend to solve all issues of fuel gelling - including potential petrol gelling when in cold weather away from the biodiesel - by adding a heated fuel line. If it is in the teens temperature-wise, simply flick a switch and a wait a couple minutes; problem solved. However, I must also say that as of yet, I have never actually had my fuel lines gel on me in temps as low as 18 deg. F so the problem thus far is only theoretical.
Concerning availability:
There are lists of distributors your area. Here is a list:
http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel/distributors/showstate.asp?st=WA
There are also maps (easier to use):
http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel/retailfuelingsites/default.shtm
And here is another map:
http://www.nearbio.com/
Here is my fueling station nearing completion. Now all it needs is some pain!:
Enjoy!
Chris
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Anyway, any suggestions would help!
Just a basic go/no go check. If you can see chunkies and other nastiness settle out as soon as you pour it in the jar, you know you've got problems. Otherwise, let it sit for a couple hours to overnight, preferably out in ambient temps, and see if it clouds up or anything settles out.
