Tickell grew up in Louisiana, where members of his family suffered from pollution-related diseases. As a result, he began to look for alternatives to petroleum in college, when he learned of biodiesel while working on a farm in the former East Germany. Fascinated, Tickell started to conduct his own research. He translated documents written by the inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolf Diesel, and found that the first diesel engine had been designed to run on vegetable oil, not petroleum.

Tickell returned to the USA, bought an old diesel-powered Winnebago van that he painted with sunflowers and called the “Veggie Van.” He built a small biodiesel processor that he named “The Green Grease Machine” and then set off on a 25,000 mile, two-year tour of the USA powered by the biodiesel he made from used grease collected from fast food restaurants along the way. This journey, which eventually became known as The Veggie Van Voyage, attracted the attention of numerous media outlets, serving to promote the publicity of biodiesel as a viable alternative fuel.

After the Veggie Van tour, Tickell wrote his first book, From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank — The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel. His second book is titled How to Free America From Oil and Make Money with Alternative Fuel. The book examines the status quo of the oil industry, the automakers and the government and offers an alternative energy roadmap to wean the US off fossil fuels.

Tickell founded the Biodiesel America Organization. In 2005, it was selected by President Bill Clinton to be part of his Global Initiative on Climate Change. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Organization mounted a biodiesel relief aid effort in Louisiana and Mississippi. Tickell’s biodiesel-fueled relief ships delivered 20,000 meals, clothing and medical supplies to the hardest-hit areas of the disaster zone.

Based in Venice, California, Tickell continues to speak publicly to promote and educate on the subject of biodiesel. He has consulted for companies and organizations such as National Biodiesel Board, Arizona State House of Representatives, Solar Energy International, Quicksilver and Clif Bar. Tickell has spoken at numerous colleges and universities including MIT, Ohio University, Bard College, Vassar College, Colorado College and Rider University and has presented in countries including Cuba, Argentina, Burma, and Australia.

In September of 2009, Tickell’s documentary on alternative clean energy, Fuel, was rolled out into 150 cities.

Tickell holds an undergraduate degree in Sustainable Living from New College of Florida. After the publication of his first book, Tickell enrolled in Florida State University’s School of Motion Picture Television and Recording Arts where he earned his MFA in film.