What in the world does cooking used fryer oil have to do with cleaner air? And why would I write about it on a blog about downtown Knoxville? And to finish a paragraph of questions, could Urban Guy understand the science behind it all? Well, the answers lie in a company with local roots.
Clean Energy Biofuels (Facebook) started as a local effort, with the help of some UT professors, among others, who were involved in the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. It eventually became a for-profit company and expanded to included Tennessee and Georgia. While the primary processing plant is in Georgia, an initial processing plant is located just off Alcoa Highway, and the Knoxville roots of the company have enabled it to be the primary oil recycling company working with both the City of Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. They are collecting oil from the Tennessee Valley Fair (think of all that oil for making funnel cakes!).
I met with Craig Oetting, Director of Operations for the Tennessee Region, and Randy Cupp, Account Manager for Used Frying Oil. The roots of the company stretch back to 2005, but the formal company was launched in 2007. Randy worked in the restaurant business for 35 years but has fallen in love with this company. Craig was a computer engineer for twenty years, but became interested in alternative fuels after the fuel-price spike in the days following Hurricane Katrina. He followed his interest by earning a Bio-energy degree from the University of Tennessee (which is where Randy also earned his degree).
Essentially, the company collects the used fryer oil – vegetable oil only, if I understood correctly, they do not use animal (saturated) oil – and converts the peanut, canola, soy or corn oil into biodiesel. It turns out that diesel engines can be modified to run the used grease, presumably cleaned of contaminants, but that isn’t happening so much. What does happen next is that the oil is converted through a chemical process into biodiesel that any diesel engine can use. The processing of our local oil begins in Knoxville and is completed in Monroe, Georgia at a plant that operates entirely on solar power.
It gets interesting at this point because while diesel vehicles can run on this biodiesel, most states do not allow it. In Tennessee, for example, B-20 is the limit for sale to the public (though, for example, a Co-op could sell B-100 to their members), which means it is 20% biodiesel and the rest is petro-diesel. Some car manufacturers also limit the percentage allowed without voiding the warranty on the engine. A 100% bio-diesel fuel emission is 78% cleaner than petro-diesel.
In the past, restaurants would have to pay for the removal of their used frying oil. Now, assuming they produce enough of it, they can actually be paid a small amount for their used oil. Even small producers can get free removal. Clean Energy has contracts with some large producers, like UT, the Apple Barn and Kroger. They have a pick-up schedule, but also will make visits in-between collection times as needed. They also have an interesting collaborative arrangement via the city for Market Square restaurants: A grease collection container is located behind the western side of Market Square, in which all the restaurants dump their grease to be collected by Clean Energy.
The company is one of the few to take the oil full circle. They collect it themselves, manufacture the biodiesel and retail it to fleets and others. The ratio from collected oil to finished product is one-to-one, meaning a gallon of oil produces a gallon of biodiesel. The process produces glycerol, which can be used in other products such as candles, soaps and makeup.
The company produces about 35,000 gallons a month in a plant that could produce over ten times that amount. For a frame of reference, consider that a truck stop may sell upwards of 100,000 gallons of diesel in a single day. The limiting factor for the company is collections; there’s only so much oil they are able to collect.
The company is also diversifying, producing, for example, “Smarter Starter,” which is a 100% natural – non-fossil fuel – lighter fluid. It is currently sold in Home Depot in Georgia and will soon be sold in Whole Foods. It is also available online. They have also started producing their own line of non-GMO virgin canola oil which will be regionally produced.
Individuals may also recycle used oil at several of the collection centers. I understand they may offer containers to re-use. The closest center to downtown is off Baxter Avenue. If you are a business in need of their services and would like to use a company with local ties, they will happily perform a “grease audit,” and get you underway (865-282-1852). It’s an encouraging business that seems to help in multiple ways all along the cycle of their business model. And the next time you see their truck on Market Square, you’ll know what’s up.