Prisons to fuel New Zealand

The local Department of Corrections has signed a deal with Biodiesel New Zealand so that it can supply the biofuels company with used cooking oil (UCO) from 18 of its prison kitchens across the country.

Rather than being thrown into landfill, the New Zealand corrections department will supply about 5,000 litres a month of UCO to the biodiesel company so that it can continue to produce its Biogold renewable fuel.

Every litre of UCO can be converted into one litre of biodiesel, saving about 2kg of carbon emissions, Biodiesel New Zealand says.

Through the deal, local jobs will be supported and it will help to reduce New Zealand’s dependence on fossil fuel that is imported into the country.

Brent Maughan, national manager for Corrections Inmate Employment, says: ‘Prisoners who work in our prison kitchens are enthusiastic to be involved as they take pride in their workplace and environment.’

Every prison has a biodiesel collection tank in which to store the UCO after it has passed through the kitchens. The UCO is then picked up once a month and transported to South Auckland before being shipped to Lyttelton where it is processed and converted into biodiesel in Christchurch.

Biodiesel New Zealand general manager, Andrew Simcock, says: ‘Every drop counts; for every tonne of used cooking oil provided to make BiogoldTM, the country's CO2 emissions are reduced by at least two tonnes when compared with using mineral diesel.’