A Resource Study on Recovered Vegetable Oil and Animal Fats
Name of Contractor: Clearpower Limited
Grant Award: €30,000
Category: Public Good
Completion Date: December 2003
Download Report: Final Report
Introduction
The EU directive on biofuels (2003/30/EC) established non-mandatory reference targets of 2% renewable fuels in the transportation fuel mix of each member country by 2005, and 5.75% by 2010. In addressing the intent of the directive, an option available to Ireland is the substitution of a quantity of mineral diesel fuel with biodiesel, a fuel primarily derived in Europe from oilseed rape. However, the cost of producing biodiesel from this feedstock is high, particularly when compared to the current cost of diesel. In order to mitigate the cost of biodiesel production, residues / by-products such as recovered vegetable oil (RVO) and animal fats (tallow), can be included as supplementary feedstocks. These lower cost materials can significantly improve the competitiveness of biodiesel.
In this context a resource study, examining RVO and tallow was considered necessary. The goals of the study were to quantify the existing resources, including their geographical spread, and to assess the likely level of future supply for conversion to biodiesel, with due account taken of competing uses.
Outputs
The main finding of the study were as follows:
- Recovered vegetable oil (RVO): Across the island of Ireland 29,000 tonnes of waste vegetable oil is produced annually. This quantity is expected to rise over the next decade in line with population and economic growth. Currently 14,500 tonnes is recovered as RVO, leaving a potential 14,500 tonnes surplus to be disposed of by other means. Only 5,000 tonnes of this surplus is ‘realistically’ recoverable. Of the recovered vegetable oil, approximately 97% goes into animal feed in Ireland or the UK, a practice to be barred from November 2004. The market for Irish RVO is changing, and unless attractive new local markets can be encouraged the collected recovered vegetable oil will be sold to biodiesel processors in the UK or elsewhere in Europe.
- Animal Fats (tallow): In the eight rendering plants in the Republic of Ireland 78,000 tonnes of tallow is produced annually, a volume set to fall gradually in line with a reduction in the national herd. There is currently no surplus tallow produced, and for many grades of tallow the market in animal feed will continue. However, given current tallow market conditions and fossil fuel prices, 22,000 tonnes of low-grade non-BSE risk tallow could be diverted for use as a biodiesel feedstock.
There is an opportunity to exploit these materials for the production of biodiesel in Ireland. It is likely that if action to bring about such development does not occur soon, alternative, overseas markets are likely to be quickly established.
The report has been printed, and posted on the SEI web site from where it can be downloaded by interested parties. Dissemination of the study outputs was also carried out through a workshop held on the 31st March 2004.
For further information contact:
Pearse Buckley
Sustainable Energy Ireland
Glasnevin
Dublin 9
Tel: 01 8082540
e-mail: pearse.buckley@sei.ie
