SP0070: Biodiesel Production

Status: COMPLETED 2012

The McGill Food and Dining Serves (MFDS) produces approximately 14000 liters of waste vegetable oil (WVO) per year. Disposal of this oil represents a loss of a valuable commodity: WVO contains an amount of chemical energy comparable to crude oil.

While unsuitable for direct use in its native form, a simple chemical reaction transforms WVO into biodiesel, an ASTM International regulated alternative to fossil diesel fuel. Biodiesel offers many benefits over fossil diesel and combusts in conventional diesel engines without modification. This project is investigating the feasibility of biodiesel production from WVO at McGill for use in campus vehicles and equipment.

For further information conerning this project, or to get in touch with its members, please contact the krista.houser [at] mcgill.ca (SPF Administration Team).

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