At the request of the National Renderers Association (NRA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) has issued guidance documents outlining their assessment of biofuels such as yellow grease, lard, recycled cooking fat, and other animal-derived products as alternatives to fossil fuels.
The guidance paper states that these products have been used successfully to replace petroleum-based fuels while using essentially the same power-producing equipment (e.g., boiler, engines, etc.). Additionally, these fuels have been demonstrated effective with no adverse environmental consequences.
The guidance paper states, “The information presented in this memorandum, plus the availability of the test reports that have already been completed, should provide state/local permitting authorities with sufficient information to make permit decisions regarding the substitution of biofuels for conventional fuels without the need for costly stack testing prior to issuing a permit.”
Based on its assessment, EPA made the following conclusions regarding the burning of biofuels.
• Biofuels may be substituted for No. 6 fuel oil. Compared to burning No. 6 fuel oil, biofuels emit less emissions of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM).
• Biofuels, with the exception of chicken fat and choice white grease, may be substituted for No. 2 fuel oil. Compared to burning No. 2 fuel oil, biofuels generally emit lower emissions of NO2 and SO2 and emissions of CO and PM vary between slightly higher and lower. Chicken fat and choice white grease emit significantly higher PM emissions and slightly higher NO2 emissions compared to other biofuels that were tested.
• Biofuels, with the exception of chicken fat and choice white grease, may be substituted for natural gas if local and regional air quality conditions warrant (i.e., consideration given for ozone, PM, and CO attainment status). Compared to burning natural gas, biofuels emit slightly higher emissions of NO2, SO2, and PM, and comparable emissions of CO.
EPA noted that burning these fuels with and without flue gas recirculation followed the same trends as above except that in all cases, the flue gas recirculation resulted in lower NO2 emissions.
In its paper, EPA stated, “…OAQPS is striving to promote the use of alternative fuel sources – renewables, biofuels, and fuel cells…Biofuels such as yellow grease, lard, recycled cooking fat, and other animal-derived fuel products provide such an environmentally safe alternative. Thus, OAQPS would like to promote the utilization of biofuels whenever possible.”
EPA’s biofuels assessment is the result of efforts by the NRA and the Fats and Proteins Research Foundation who formally requested EPA guidance for state and local officials in addressing the permitting of rendered products for fuel use.
The complete guidance documents can be found on the Internet at www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3ed.html.
Newsline - August 2003 Render