FAT CHANCE
Bio Power - Malta

Cleaning up the Maltese coastline by turning cooking fat into a diesel-substitute

Mediterranean cooking uses a lot of oil. And the millions of package tourists who double the population of the Western Mediterranean each summer expect to find fast-food outlets like those at home. But what happens to all that cooking fat? In the tiny 316 sq. km. island of Malta it clogs up the drains and eventually ends up in the sea. It’s a huge problem and the authorities fear that it might put the tourists off visiting Malta. In 2004, Malta’s largest producer of cooking fats and oils – the Edible Oil Company – came up with an elegant business solution. The first diesel engines ran on peanut oil, so for Pippa Salia – the company’s owner – it was a case of back to the future with the launch of his biodiesel project. Instead of cooking oil going down the drains it would power specially converted diesel cars and lorries. Key to the project’s success has been the establishment of an efficient collection system from restaurants and homes. Collection points are being established all over the island. The availability of biodiesel is helping the economy by reducing Malta’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. And because biodiesel burns more cleanly than diesel, air pollution is also reduced. To encourage more buyers to opt for the cleaner fuel, the government of Malta has made biodiesel tax-free.