I’ve always wondered whether we can find profitable use for used cooking oil…

The type that has remained after deep frying a number of foods.

The good thing is its supply is steady since hotels and restaurants must keep on feeding the masses.

BIODIESEL

Diesel as we know it is one of the products of fractional distillation of crude oil.

In simple terms this is the separation of its  components depending on the boiling points.

Lighter fuels like LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) are the first to be isolated due to their low boiling points.

But diesel would be one of the fuels at the bottom of the distillation column simply because it is heavy.

HYDROCARBONS

Diesel is composed of long-chain hydrocarbons…

Now a little chemistry…

Remember your high school organic chemistry which focused on the compounds of carbon?

Whereas all fossil fuels are composed of carbon bonded to hydrogen, diesel has more carbons bonded to more hydrogens.

And the more the carbon atoms, the more likely it will be liquid or viscous in nature – or more or less porridge like.

This makes diesel an energy intensive fuel used to drive large engines and locomotives.

Diesel is therefore a big thing in the energy sector.

But diesel can also be derived from other sources besides crude oil.

JATROPHA & CASTOR OIL PLANTS

These crops have gained a reputation as industrial crops because they contain long-chained hydrocarbon oils in their seeds.

And so with a little chemistry, these oils arr easily isolated and converted to diesel.

But because this diesel is from natural sources it is termed as ‘biodiesel’.

Biodiesel plays an important role in the circular economy since it can be derived from crops which in turn take in the carbon from air.

But plants aren’t the only possible sources of biodiesel. 

WASTE OIL

Garage mechanics, cooks, technicians who work in sectors using oil always end up having a component of ‘waste oil’.

Take for instance cooks who engage in deep frying food.

This oil can only be used a number of times before being discarded.

So where does it go?

Used cooking oil has been tried and tested as a very promising source for biodiesel.

Infact, converting waste cooking oil into biodiesel might just lead to an additional product altogether – glycerine.

Glycerine is an important component used in lotions and even some medication.

Production of biodiesel from waste oil need not be a complex affair.

All that’s needed is knowledge in catalysis and the use of alkaline and acidic solutions to hasten the conversion.

There are startups that have ventured into this terrain and it certainly looks promising because of several reasons.

First, it helps to profitably cut down on waste due to the business approach being circular.

Secondly, it could help economies delink from crude oil dependence.

And lastly, it is eco-friendly.

IN CONCLUSION

Biodiesel production is an opportunity in waiting for those willing to take advantage of waste oil from restaurants.

It is worth the risk because it delivers energy at the end of the day.