Agri opens UK's largest used cooking oil biodiesel plant

11 May 2012 by
Agri opens UK's largest used cooking oil biodiesel plant

The UK's largest used cooking oil biodiesel plant launched in Liverpool earlier this week on the back of a multimillion-pound investment into biodiesel production by Agri.

The processing plant in Bootle will be dedicated to producing biodiesel from used cooking oil and will complement Agri's existing national used cooking oil collection business. The plant has been constructed on a brownfield site which has a history of reprocessing oils and fats going back more than 150 years. To this end Agri has been able to regenerate an area of Liverpool and create green employment opportunities.

Transport Minister Norman Baker said: "I am pleased to be able to open Agri's Biodiesel plant, the largest plant dedicated to the production of biodiesel made from used cooking oil in the UK. The investment made by Agri - and projects like this - can help the UK meet its ambitious carbon reduction targets while creating green jobs to rebuild the economy.

"Sustainable biofuels have an important role to play in our efforts to tackle climate change, particularly where there is no viable alternative fuel identified. Biodiesel produced from used cooking oil can be one of the most sustainable biofuels and I am also pleased to see, through administration of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, the progress that has been made by UK biofuel suppliers in the auditing of the sustainability of the biofuels they supply."

There has been a growing trend to convert waste oils and fats into transport fuels as these can have a positive effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Agri's biodiesel plant is the culmination of six years' work to establish a business capable of providing customers with an efficient service to collect their used cooking oil and turn it into a high-quality green fuel. Its purpose-built biodiesel plant features technology that enables it to produce 16 million litres of EN14214 biodiesel per year - a European specification of biodiesel that isn't usually achievable with standard technology in biodiesel plants when using used cooking oil as a feedstock.

Furthermore, the plant has been designed to maximise its carbon efficiency savings. Eddie O'Reilly, Agri's biodiesel plant manager, said: "By using ISO 14064 methods we can measure the carbon footprint of our biodiesel to show at least 90% less greenhouse gas emissions when compared with regular mineral diesel. This makes it the most sustainable type of biodiesel in the world."

By Lisa Jenkins

E-mail your comments to Lisa Jenkins here.

Tabletalk
Tabletalk
If you have something to say on this story or anything else join the debate at Table Talk - Caterer's new networking forum. Go to www.catererandhotelkeeper.com/tabletalk

Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs

Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs

Blogs on Catererandhotelkeeper.com ](http://www.catererandhotelkeeper.com/blogs) Catch up with more news and gossip on all Caterer's blogs
[E-Newsletters](http://www.catererandhotelkeeper.com/email-newsletters.htm)[ For the latest hospitality news, sign up for our E-newsletters
The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking