Energy potential of biodiesel generated from waste cooking oil: An environmental approach

As far as environmental pollution concern, the utilization of all fuels produces air pollutants, causing local and trans-boundary air pollution and acid rain problems. Biodiesel is a clean renewable fuel with its properties similar to diesel but generated from renewable resources such as vegetable oils and animal fats. Although this fuel has been developed some two to three decades ago, it is not commonly used, mainly due to the higher production cost involved. Due to the increasing concern on environmental protection, a lot of researches on the usage of this fuel are carried out in recent years. This paper presents a brief overview of biodiesel generated from waste cooking oil and its potential, including the environmental approach. Annually 733,000 tons of cooking oil is consumed in Turkey. If half of its returns to waste oil, this will be about 350,000 tons in each year. Approximately 350,000 tons of biodiesel, 35,000 tons of glycerin, and 3,500 tons of soap can be produced when the waste oil is recycled or reused properly.