Dehradun, Biodiesel will be made from used-cooking-oil. A Plant installed at the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, will do just that. The first Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) Express was flagged off for the plant installed at IIP. Dr. Pankaj Pandey, State Secretary and Food Safety Commissioner; Dr. Anjan Ray, Director Indian Institute of Petroleum and Anoop Nautiyal, Founder Chairperson Gati Foundation jointly flagged off RUCO Express carrying 300 liters of used cooking oil.
Commissioner of Food Safety, Dr. Pankaj Pandey said, “every time edible oil is used, the more dangerous it becomes for health. It poses risk to serious diseases like cancer, heart problems, acidity etc.” An appeal was made to hotels, restaurants and other food business operators not to use cooking oil more than three times, post which it should be handed over for biodiesel production at IIP.
Director of Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dr. Anjan Ray added, “bio-diesel, as well as jet fuel, can be made from used cooking oil. IIP intends to set up a bio-diesel plant in atleast 10 percent of the country’s villages.” Elaborating, “Not only can people be saved from harmful edible oil,on the other hand, biodiesel imports in the country can also be reduced.” Dr. Anjan Ray also confirmed that Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, would buy used cooking oil at Rs. 20 per liter.
Dr. Neeraj Atrey, Principal Scientist at IIP demonstrated the process of making bio-diesel from used cooking oil, telling us that a plant for making biodiesel from 50 ltrs of used cooking oil could be fixed into a truck as well.
Anoop Nautiyal Founder of Gati Foundation said that every person uses about one and a half liters of edible oil in a month. In the year 2017, a total of 2,300 crore tonnes were used in the country and by 2030 it is expected to reach 3,400 tonnes per year.
