Scottish firm looks to turn dead fish into biodiesel

Proposals have been submitted by a facility in Lerwick, Scotland, to turn dead fish into biodiesel.
SEM Energy has successfully applied to vary its licence with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for the project, the Shetland News has reported.
The licence for the company’s existing facility at the Greenhead Base is for storing and processing dead fish, but the variation will allow staff to extract valuable resources from the waste.
It is proposed that around 3,500 tonnes of category two fish mortality waste would be received every year.
Creating sustainable by-products, the solids would be used for fertiliser production, and the resulting fish oil would go towards the production of biodiesel.
A spokesperson for SEM said: “We are engaged with a variety of stakeholders across the islands with the objective of achieving best available practice, and during this process to date, we aren’t aware of this type of process happening elsewhere in Shetland.”
There is said to be a growing demand for biodiesel, and SEM has received interest from industries such as agriculture, marine, power generation and transport.
Head of project delivery Gary Broadley said the project fits in with the company’s wider portfolio of services, “which are focused on reducing CO2 emissions, repurposing waste and protecting our precious waters”.
“We are working with our partners in the aquaculture industry in Shetland, and beyond, as they seek to operate in a consistently ethical and environmentally responsible way,” he added.
“We support them to manage their waste streams in line with the twin aims of compliance and CO2 reduction, but also with the potential to generate high-value by-products as part of the circular economy.”