Energy Crisis And Inflation, Can Used Cooking Oil Be Used To Fuel Vehicles?

Illustrations. (Unsplash/@winedharma)

JAKARTA - Although it is often heard that cooking oil can be used to start a diesel engine. However, it is still illegal in France today.

Last July, the French Parliament voted on a 20 billion euro package, in response to rising inflation and potential energy shortages this winter.

Although the bill still has to go through the Senate, one of them would allow and support the possibility of using cooking oil as vehicle fuel.

According to the ecologist who pushed the bill, "while diesel exceeds two euros per liter at gas stations", using used oil as fuel "gives immediate relief to the French people's wallet and limits pollution from diesel engines".

However, can cooking oil be used to start and run a car? The main thing to note is, you can't just take the oil straight from the frying pan and pour it into your car.

And if you're thinking of using used cooking oil straight from the bottle, think again, it's too viscous and can cause problems with your engine. It is also only suitable for diesel vehicles.

Used oil needs to be collected, filtered and processed before being mixed with traditional diesel to be used as fuel, as reported by Euronews July 26.

The authorization is the result of an amendment put forward by MP Julien Bayou, secretary of France's Green Party. According to his written argument, ten liters of properly reprocessed waste oil can produce nine liters of fuel.

Not only that, the use of cooking oil is also estimated to emit up to 90 percent less greenhouse gases than conventional diesel.

Are there any regions in France that already allow vehicles to use cooking oil? While it is currently illegal in France to use cooking oil as a fuel, there are some exceptions.

For example Béthune-Bruay, a town in Pas-de-Calais has powered its fleet of 78 garbage collection trucks with fuel made from locally recycled cooking oil since 2019.

The city is partnering with Gecco, a waste disposal company led by Michel Millares, which focuses on transforming food industry waste into local and renewable energy sources.

Meanwhile, a group called Roule Ma Frite which has local factions throughout France, collects and distributes cooking oil-based fuel to its members. It has long campaigned for change at the government level.

Separately, in contrast to France, in the UK it is legal to power your car with cooking oil-based bio-diesel. However, if you use more than 2,500 liters per year which are not taxable, you must report it to the tax office.