Add Climate Change: Growing Doubts Over Chip Fat Biofuel
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<br>Climate modification: Growing doubts over chip fat [biofuel](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL)<br>
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<br>21 April 2021<br>
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<br>comments<br>
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<br>354 Comments<br>
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<br>New research questions the environmental effect of rising imports of [utilized cooking](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy) oil (UCO) into the UK and Europe.<br>
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<br>Chip fat and other oils are thought about waste, so when they are utilized to make [biodiesel](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb) it [saves carbon](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) emissions by [displacing fossil](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) oil.<br>
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<br>But such is the demand across Europe that imports now represent more than half of the UCO that's made into fuel.<br>
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<br>According to the study, external, there's no chance to show these imports are sustainable.<br>
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<br>Without any [testing](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb) of what's coming in, professionals think it is also ripe for fraud.<br>
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<br>Used [cooking oil](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) imports might increase logging<br>
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<br>Consumers position 'growing hazard' to tropical forests<br>
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<br>Reducing emissions from transport is [proving](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) to be one of the most difficult challenges for governments all over the world.<br>
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<br>They have actually motivated making use of biofuels as an important methods of curbing carbon from cars and trucks and trucks.<br>
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<br>[Biofuels](https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/ipos/overview?dealId=804419-65608) are generally a mix of nonrenewable fuel source and oil made from plants or [vegetables](https://www.abnnewswire.net/companies/en/31347/%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A9%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%97-Mission-NewEnergy-%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94.html/4).<br>
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<br>The truth that these crops can be re-grown and soak up more CO2 implies they cancel out the carbon discharged when utilized in engines.<br>
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<br>Soy and palm oil were when commonly utilized as parts of [biodiesel](https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/ipos/overview?dealId=804419-65608) but this practice has been extensively discredited because it motivates logging.<br>
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<br>So for the last years or two, using used cooking oil has broadened enormously as an [alternative feedstock](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) for fuel.<br>
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<br>Chip fat and other waste oils have become a key component of [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) with a reliable market springing up throughout Europe to gather and process the product.<br>
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<br>But with the quantity of biodiesel made from UCO increasing by around 40% every year since 2014, there just isn't sufficient chip fat to go around.<br>
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<br>According to a report from the campaign group Transport & Environment, external, over half of the [UCO utilized](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) in Europe is imported.<br>
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<br>Their research study suggests this is extremely bothersome when it comes to effects on the [environment](https://www.pinterest.com.au/missionnewenergy/).<br>
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<br>While UCO is considered a waste material in the UK, in China, and Malaysia it has long been utilized to feed animals. The [report raises](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL) the [question](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL) of what people in these countries are changing the UCO with, when it is exported.<br>
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<br>In 2019, Malaysia exported 90 million litres of UCO to the UK and [Ireland](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html). Figures for their exports to other European countries aren't readily available however the flow of UCO is most likely to be similar.<br>
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<br>With a [population](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) of around 33 million, that's close to three litres per head of used oil that's collected and exported to the UK and [Ireland](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/MNELF:US) alone.<br>
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<br>By contrast, Thailand, which has a population of 70 million people, managed to collect around five million litres of UCO in 2019.<br>
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<br>"Because we are buying it, they have less utilized cooking oil to use on the things that they were previously utilizing it for," stated Greg Archer with Transport & Environment.<br>
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<br>"And they're just buying more virgin oil which virgin oil is mostly palm oil, since that's the least expensive oil available.<br>
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<br>"So indirectly, we're simply encouraging more deforestation in Southeast Asia."<br>
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<br>Another major issue with UCO is the suspicion of scams.<br>
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<br>Because of demand from Europe, the rate of UCO is typically greater than palm oil. The concern is that some unscrupulous traders are merely diluting deliveries of UCO with palm.<br>
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<br>As oils of different types are mixed in bulk for transport, and no testing of the materials is carried out, some professionals believe fraud is swarming.<br>
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<br>The suggestion of scams anywhere along the chain of supply is turned down by the European Waste-to-Advanced Biofuels Association (EWABA), who say there are robust accreditation plans in location.<br>
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<br>"It is widely understood that the European Commission has taken pertinent steps to completely curb unsound market practices in [biofuel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) markets," stated Angel Alberdi, EWABA's secretary general.<br>
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<br>He says a brand-new database being developed by the EU will ensure that trading, certification and sustainability data on all bio-liquids will need to be signed up.<br>
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<br>"The mix of revised certification plans and the pan-EU track and trace database will make sure that no sustainability problems arise in the entire biofuels and bio-liquids supply chain," he informed BBC News.<br>
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<br>Others in the field are concerned that the database idea, which was first mooted in 2018, may not work in stemming believed fraud.<br>
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<br>The report from Transport & Environment explains that with shipping and air travel looking to decarbonise by utilizing biofuels, demand for UCO might double over the next decade.<br>
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<br>"Rising the need beyond sustainable supply levels would increase these concerns, and dangers of using 'phony' UCO, possibly resulting in indirect effects such as deforestation."<br>
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<br>Follow Matt on Twitter @mattmcgrathbbc, external.<br>
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<br>Related subjects<br>
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<br>COP26<br>
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<br>Paris environment agreement<br>
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<br>Climate<br>
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