Used cooking oil (UCO)

UCO as a Biodiesel Feedstock

Used Cooking Oil (UCO), sometimes referred to as waste cooking oil, includes oils and fats that have been previously used for cooking or frying in the food processing industry, restaurants, and households. UCO can originate from both waste vegetable oil and animal fats. It is estimated that approximately 90% of cooking oils and fats in the EU are derived from vegetable oil.

The quality of UCO is crucial for its conversion into advanced biofuels and is influenced by several factors, including the method of oil collection. The primary challenge in using UCO as a renewable energy source lies in its impurity content, such as free fatty acids and water. Even in small amounts, free fatty acids can cause issues during the transesterification process—the method used to produce renewable fuels for diesel engines. As a result, UCOs intended for biodiesel production must meet specific standards to avoid these complications.

UCO-based biodiesel is in line with the European Commission’s Renewable Energy Directive, which addresses greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, biodiversity, and carbon stock. Under this directive, used cooking oil and certain tallows are classified as ‘waste vegetable and animal oils.’ The use of these materials in FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) production is estimated to deliver carbon savings of 83%