Study Shows Biofuels are Viable Alternatives to No. 2 Fuel Oil

January 4, 2003 - The University of Georgia at Athens (UGA) Engineering Outreach Services utilized rendered fats and greases (chicken fat, yellow grease, choice white grease, and beef tallow) as industrial boiler fuels in the 100,000 lb./hour No. 2 boiler at the UGA steam plant during January and February 2002. The project was funded by the Fats and Proteins Research Foundation (FPRF), Inc., and the Poultry Protein and Fat Council of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association. The objectives of the project were to publicly demonstrate the use of biofuel (rendered fats and greases) for industrial steam production and to examine the procedures necessary for its use.

The project showed that biofuels, either singly or blended with No. 2 fuel oil, are technically and economically viable alternatives to No. 2 fuel oil. Other studies have shown that biofuels are user friendly and less hazardous than petroleum fuels. The UGA study reported that the addition of biofuel combustion capability is simple and inexpensive and it is not necessary to replace or compromise the operation of existing fossil fuel systems.

FPRF stated that industrial boiler operators can use these results to economically justify the use of biofuels and to support air emissions permit submittals and that even lower emissions levels may be obtained from boilers employing advanced combustion systems. Laboratory analyses showed that the fats and greases tested in the UGA project have high heating value, low ash, negligible sulfur, low moisture, and other physical and chemical properties conducive to their use as boiler fuel. Heating values for the biofuel blends tested are within 90 percent of the heating value of No. 2 fuel oil.

The complete UGA report is available on the FPRF Web site at www.fprf.org.

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