THE UAE has begun harnessing the power of french fries grease after a Dubai-based green firm struck a biofuels supply deal with the local McDonald’s franchise.
Neutral Fuels, a clean-tech start-up, said the company will process 1 million litres of used cooking oil (UCO) from McDonald’s every year - the first commercial bid to use vegetable oil-based biodiesel for transport in the UAE.
“We plan to expand our production to 2 million litres next year,” Karl Fielder, chairman of The Neutral Group, told Pipeline. He said the global fast-food giant has been using biodiesel in their UK chain last year.
"We approached their Dubai franchise and they are happy to do it," he added.
The UCO biofuel, which will replace the use of conventional diesel fuel, was first used by McDonald’s in June 2011 to power its logistics fleet in the UAE to cut fuel costs while ultimately reducing carbon footprint.
“I think it’s now a viable time to commercialise biofuels here,” Fielder said, citing an unsubsidised price of Dh3.70 per litre in the UAE as compared to global prices. ”It’s certainly attractive for McDonald’s.”
He said the vehicles, particularly service trucks, being used under the first phase required no modification and are running seamlessly on 100 per cent biodiesel. "In terms of efficiency, they are all tested and proven with lesser carbon monoxide than their hydrocarbon counterparts."
Rafic Fakih, managing director and partner of McDonald’s UAE, said: “As a founder of the CSR Network and partner of Emirates Environment Group (EEG), McDonald’s UAE has demonstrated a passionate and long-term commitment to investing in environmental initiatives.”
Neutral Fuels has achieved a significant technology breakthrough by partnering exclusively with the leading producer of shrink-wrapped biodiesel processors, Green Fuels Ltd.
This award-winning British technology company has supplied hundreds of biodiesel processing plants worldwide, and has over 20 sites currently using exactly the same equipment Neutral Fuels uses, derisking the technology aspects of the business.
"There is no refinery, nor complex fit out of facilities," he said. "The processing unit is just a machine and can be fully operational many times faster than previous generations of biodiesel technology."
Energy News | Middle East
Subscribe to this comment's feed
