Diesel price hike sparks interest in biodiesel made from used cooking oil

More South Africans may soon be looking for an alternative to traditional diesel, as a massive price hike is set for 1 April.

Speaking to CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit, Roy De Gouveia, co-founder of Bio Green, explained that biodiesel is a cleaner and potentially cheaper alternative.

Biodiesel is made out of waste cooking oil collected from kitchens and restaurants, using a cracking process to convert it.

“We'd basically crack the waste cooking oil and make it into biodiesel and glycerol. And the glycerol we would sell to soap companies, and the biodiesel would be used in the trucks.”

Biodiesel is used as a blend with traditional diesel, with no more than 20% of biodiesel to avoid corrosion.

Biodiesel can reduce fuel costs by almost half, making it an attractive option for retailers and logistics companies.

Despite the challenges to adoption, De Gouveia remains optimistic.

He cited Cape Concrete, a company that has already successfully transitioned to biodiesel.

"They use quite a bit of biodiesel weekly," he says. "I'm sure that everyone's looking for biodiesel now, especially with the price of fuel where it is."

To listen to De Gouveia in conversation with CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit, use the audio player below: