Florida National Guard producing biodiesel

In Florida, US, the Florida National Guard is minimising waste and cutting costs by converting used vegetable oil into biodiesel that will power state maintenance vehicles at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.

Camp Blanding Joint Training Center scheme was established back in January 2010.

The waste oil is collected from Camp Blanding's Consolidated Dining Facility before it is relocated to a maintenance facility and converted into biodiesel.

'This is the only installation in the nation that has implemented this process,' says Jessika Blersch, the sustainability coordinator for the Florida National Guard's Camp Blanding Joint Training Center. 'Not only are we converting the cooking oil into something useable – in this case the fuel – but we're also hitting an alternative fuel goal as well.'

The biodiesel-making process, which lasts for around 48 hours, produces 100% biodiesel, which is then used to fuel vehicles that are fitted with biodiesel-compatible engines.

Camp Blanding can manufacture between 50 and 100 gallons per week of biodiesel at around $0.67 (€0.47) per gallon.