Benefits of Reclaiming Biofuel Resources from Waste

The EPA reports that replacing fossil fuels with biofuels has the potential to reduce the negative effects of fossil fuel production and use, including conventional and greenhouse gases (GHG) pollutant emissions, exhaustible resource depletion and dependence on unstable suppliers.

A wide variety of feedstocks supply the biofuels industry; however waste feedstocks are rapidly gaining momentum. Our focus at Greasezilla is to reclaim biofuel from the grease waste stream. Greasezilla’s process concurrently addresses the growing fiscal and environmental problems with FOG disposal while generating an ecologically friendly, low carbon intensity advanced biofuel and other resources.

Benefits of Repurposing Waste

Unlike other wastes, FOG has been largely ignored as a reusable resource. FOG is perceived as a nuisance waste produced every day by restaurants, commercial kitchens and industrial food processors. As an organic material, decomposing FOG will emit carbon dioxide and eventually methane if dumped in landfills. Diverting FOG from landfills reduces landfill emissions and provides the opportunity to capture valuable resources for biogas, biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel and marine fuel.

When separated, the FOG waste stream can be repurposed into brown grease feedstock for transportation biofuels and an organic batter for biogas production with anaerobic digesters.

Benefits for Biofuel Production

For the biofuel industry, the availability and cost of feedstocks is paramount. Refineries are turning to waste feedstocks for their lower-cost and low carbon intensity (CI). Unlike biofuels sourced from corn, soy and other crops, brown grease does not require land, water or other natural resources to produce. Hence brown grease generates fewer lifetime greenhouse gas emissions than agriculturally-sourced feedstocks.

Refineries understand the economic benefits of brown grease feedstock. Global demand for biofuels is placing strain on the pool of available feedstocks, driving up costs of feedstocks and polished fuels. A greater variety of viable feedstocks is essential to meet production goals and consumption needs. Also, incorporating low CI waste feedstocks helps refineries to maximize a refinery’s returns on government credits and incentives.

Global energy needs continue to rise. Reclaiming biofuel resources from the FOG waste stream provides a readily available alternative source of energy that can reduce U.S. dependence upon fuel imports and help to counter the negative impact of fossil fuel consumption. With the U.S. Energy Information Administration projecting that world energy usage will increase 50 percent by 2050, it is becoming critical to find alternative means of energy generation to support energy needs while reducing the carbon footprint of continued industrialization. FOG adds another viable and available source for biofuel production to the growing pool of bio feedstocks.