Cape Business News- Cooking Oil To Reduce Carbon Emissions

12 Jan 2010: Cooking Oil To Reduce Carbon Emissions
Trucks delivering concrete to Cape Town’s 2010 football stadium are using diesel enhanced by used cooking oil and poultry fat.

This revealed by Roy de Gouveia, Director of BioGreen Diesel, a renewable energy company that is pioneering the conversion of waste oil to a less expensive, pollution-free biodiesel.

As waste cooking oil is reused, the Free Fatty Acid content (FFA) increases, making it harmful to consumers and decreasing the quality of biodiesel that can be made. Often this oil finds its way into animal feed, pet food, or sold to unsuspecting consumers.

A safe alternative is to have this oil converted into a high quality biodiesel by a reputable company. Monthly tests on BioGreen Diesel’s finished product have certified that the company consistently produces high quality biodiesel that meets international standards.

“No other company in South Africa has set this as a norm,” said Jeff Theodor, a Director in BioGreen Diesel.

Although BioGreen Diesel only became operational earlier last year, the company also supplies biodiesel for Pick n Pay and Spar delivery trucks.

The company uses the first patented Jet Reactor, invented by Org Nieuwoudt, to convert waste oil from restaurants and retailers, to an environmentally friendly fuel that can be used as a mixture with, or a substitute for, diesel.

Biodiesel has a minimal impact on the environment. It is non toxic, has a higher flash point than mineral diesel so it is safer to handle, and has reduced exhaust emissions in comparison - 400L biodiesel exchanged for the same volume of diesel will reduce the Carbon Dioxide emissions by 1 tonne.

“Sixty percent of the brown smog that often sits over Cape Town is created by diesel emissions,” said Dave Morison, Production Manager of BioGreen Diesel, who has a background in atmospheric sciences. Switching to biofuels will help to reduce this pollution.

By using a biodiesel/diesel mix, Pick n Pay and Spar combined will reduce their carbon emissions by approximately 1000 tonnes in the Western Cape over the next year.

BioGreen Diesel, based in Cape Town, opened in Johannesburg in November and plans to expand operations to Port Elizabeth and Durban by mid-2010.

Oil- Reports record sales

Biogreen oil reports record sales day. This is part of the process to close the loop on feedstock from oil cowboys in South Africa. The issue with waste oil to Biodiesel in South Africa has become of major concern to Biogreen as they uncover more & more industry players that are trading waste oil, wher it in turn falls into the hands of people that bleach it sell it back into poorer areas.

Roy de Gouveia says "we are different to the competition in that we are not competition. Our focus is on securing the waste oil that the hospitality industry produces & turn it into Biodiesel to help the enviroment". Biogreen oil is different why? They are offering the same product that is being sold into the hospitality industry at the moment. The difference is that they are offering it for cheaper and offering a better service to the hospitality industry. With top hotels & resturants on board, Biogreen oil is making great strides in closing the gap on the competition to secure Market share.

For more information on getting Biogreen Oil or getting rid of your waste oil to Biodiesel, call 0860 BIO GRN

Biogreen Oil- Large Restaurant group converting oil

One of the largest restaurant & take away groups in South Africa is changing their current oil provider to Biogreen oil. They firmly believe that the process of Biogreen oil to Biogreen diesel is the route that all establishments should be taking. The general sentiment is that waste oil is being used by the staff because of economics & that they should be educated to understand what happens to the varnish like substance once it has been used.

Roy de Gouveia from Biogreen says "we are proud to the have the group onboard. This is a milestone in the war on waste oil being manipulated by oil cowboys for ill gains. The knock on effect of what happens to the oil in the poorer communities for peoples health, as well as how the hospitality industry is being sold their oil back bleached is of grave concern."

The group who will currently run the Western Cape for June, is excited in helping the enviroment, especially after the recent press of 100 months to irreperable damage to our Biosphere.

Winter is Cold!

In a recent analysis from waste oil, Biogreen has noticed a major decline in Feedstock for Biodiesel. The reason for this is mainly because of traders, that are selling the waste oil to feed, soap & paint industries.

The one major concern that stands out above all others, is unscrupulous companies that are taking the waste oil from the Hospitality industry, bleaching it & selling it back to the industry. They are also bottling it and selling it into the poorer areas in the townships of South Africa.

This oil is high in free fatty acids which in turn enhances HIV, Tuberculosis (TB) and is highly carcinogenic. The public and especially in the poorer areas are unaware of this happening and assume that the oil that they are cooking with is of good quality.

Urgent action needs to be taken to make sure that these companies are taken to task. Comprehensive testing for this industry should me mandatory to make sure that the public is not being Poisoned.

Roy de Gouveia