Preparing for life after fossil fuels

Does Australia’s fledgling biofuels industry have a future?

IN A double garage in suburban Liverpool, 200 litres of used cooking oil is bubbling away in an old water heater, emitting the pungent odour of fish and chips.

Carefully tending this sticky golden brew is Wayne, 46, an engineer and biodiesel enthusiast.

“When I make a batch and the smell fills the garage, my kids always want to go out for fish and chips,” he says.

Once a month Wayne sets about adding methanol to waste oil, separating out impurities and siphoning off 100 litres of biodiesel to fill his thirsty 12-year-old Peugeot.

Sidney Morning Herald