Fossil Free Fuel provides pure plant oil fuel as an economical and sustainable alternative to petroleum-diesel for use in diesel engine vehicles and machinery that are equipped with fuel system retrofits.
Waste to Fuel Cycle
We collect vegetable oil from kitchens big and small. Over time oil used in deep fryers will impart a bad taste and is contaminated with water and food particulate.
In our facility in Braddock, PA we clean up the oil starting with the big stuff and working our way down to particulates that are only 2 microns thick. For reference human hair is about 50 microns in diameter. Once the water and particulates are removed down to a technical specification, we test the fuel product to ensure quality.
The process for producing vegetable oil fuel requires little energy and contains NO fossil fuels. Unlike biodiesel, which requires approximately 20% of a petroleum product called methanol during a chemical conversion process, vegetable oil fuel has not been chemically altered.
The remaining waste that is produced is recycled or is sent to a methane digester to produce even more energy.
Benefits
Fossil Free Fuel’s pure plant oil fuel reduces carbon emissions 85% compared to petroleum-diesel fuel, according to the EPA. Our fuel is better for workers, residents, the economy and your balance sheet.
Our waste to fuel process improves many other aspects of our region:
Air Quality
Allegheny County ranks last in environmental health in the state, and in the 98th percentile nation wide for diesel particulate pollution. Using fuel produced by Fossil Free Fuel reduces harmful diesel particulates by nearly 90%.
Water Quality
Similar to arteries constricted by cholesterol, used cooking oil hardens and constricts sewer pipes. Even a little oil has an effect–just one tablespoon of oil from each household in Pittsburgh adds up to 30,000 gallons a year. According to the EPA, constriction from fat oil and grease build up is responsible for the largest financial burden on sewer maintenance costs.
Regional Economy
Fossil Free Fuel keeps fuel dollars here, strengthening our regional economy. A significant amount of money is spent filling up with petroleum-diesel in Pittsburgh, and it is money that leaves our regional economy. Pittsburgh consumes about 30 million gallons of on-road petroleum-diesel annually (based on Pennsylvania consumption rate adjusted for population). When petroleum-diesel prices are at three dollars a gallon, Pittsburgh sends $70 million out of the region a year, of this amount $42 million goes out of the country.
Diesel Consumption In Pittsburgh
Carbon Emissions
Our fuel reduces carbon emissions 85% compared to petroleum-diesel according to the EPA, lower than any available fuel.
Life Cycle CO2 Emissions Compared to Petroleum Fuels
Source: EPA
