Waste vegetable oil (WVO) from the foodservice industry can be used for animal feed or as an alternative fuel for vehicles. Restaurants collect WVO in drums provided by rendering companies, who process it for use in cosmetics, pet foods and other products. WVO can be used as fuel in “greasecars” but requires proper treatment to remove impurities that can cause engine damage. However, increased demand for WVO can lead to a shortage and increased demand for other petroleum products in other industries.
Waste vegetable oil (WVO) is leftover vegetable oil from other uses, more typically used in the foodservice industry, such as deep fryers. There are a number of applications for WVO, ranging from making it for use in animal feed to processing it so it can be used in alternative fuel vehicles. While “waste” makes it sound like this product is traditionally just thrown away, waste vegetable oil is actually a very useful substance and can be quite valuable.
The most abundant source of WVO is restaurants, which typically collect WVO in large drums provided by rendering companies. When the drums are full, the rendering companies harvest them and process the vegetable oil for use in cosmetics, pet foods and other products. Usually, the restaurant pays the company a small fee for the service, and the rendering company can generate a substantial profit from the oil it collects.
People who drive alternative fuel vehicles are interested in WVO as a fuel source. It can in theory be filtered and used as a fuel in vehicles equipped to run on vegetable oil, and can also be processed to make biodiesel. Some conflicts have arisen in some areas due to people harvesting WVO without permission or permission, and in some cases they have been taken to court for theft due to taking oil from harvesting drums that belong to rendering companies.
In the case of an alternative fuel vehicle, WVO is most commonly used in “greasecars” designed to run on vegetable oil or a blend of vegetable oil and diesel. These vehicles are usually custom-fitted by their owners and require special maintenance to ensure that the engine remains in good working order. Waste vegetable oil can be used as fuel as long as it is from a good source and is treated properly.
Some drivers are under the impression that filtration to remove particulate matter is sufficient. However, WVO can also contain other impurities that can cause engine problems, including water, acid and chemicals. These substances are more difficult to filter out and can cause engine damage, incomplete combustion leading to more air pollution and other problems. For this reason, some drivers prefer to purchase WVO which has been processed by companies specializing in grease-based automotive fuels and other alternative fuel vehicles.
Recycling used vegetable oil as fuel may seem like a positive and logical step to take to improve the environment, but in reality, using WVO can lead to increased demand for other petroleum products in other industries. This is because a sudden shortage in the supply of used vegetable oil can cause problems for companies that rely on it, forcing them to seek oils from other sources. This issue highlights one of the biggest problems with alternative fuels, with the increased demand for alternative fuels causing unintended consequences in other areas.
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