Bio Fuels Creating Black Market

About a year ago, we posted about a Chevron project that was turning restaurant cooking oil and grease into biofuels. Now the AP reports that, not only is that not so innovative anymore, it has actually spurned a black market for restaurant grease!

According to the write-up:

"Grease is transformed into fuel through a chemical process called transesterification, which removes glycerine and adds methanol to the oil, leaving a thinner product that can power a diesel engine. Biodiesel can also be blended with petroleum diesel, and blends of the alternative fuel are now sold at 1,400 gas stations across the country."

According to the National Biodiesel Board, national biodiesel production in 2005 was 75 millions gallons--it is 500 million gallons today.

Thieves now swiping cooking oil used in biodiesel fuels [Associated Press via the San Francisco Chronicle]