Background of Biodiesel Additive

Biodiesel can be made from a variety of feedstocks including:

• Used cooking oils
• Soybean oil
• Tallow

Traditionally tallow, a rendered form of animal fat, is used in animal feed, soap, and in bird food. The 600,000 metric tons of tallow that Australia produces annually are used primarily in soap making and synthetic rubber.

The increase in the biodiesel market has created a new opportunity for tallow production. 

One of the characterisitcs of tallow is its solid state at room temperature. While this characteristic has been beneficial in many previous tallow uses, for example tallow candles, it has so far limited the extent to which tallow based biodiesel can be used.

Without the addition of an additive, tallow based biodiesel starts to crystalise and clog engines at 4°C.

The new additive will lower the cloud point (CP) or Cold Filter Plugging Point (CFPP) of tallow based biodiesel to -6°C. This will increase the potential for tallow based biodiesel to be used in colder climates for a greater portion of the year.