Fat to fuel Meridian's new power project

Thousands of tonnes of beef and sheep tallow produced as a waste product by South Island meat plants may be given new life as a "bio-diesel" fuel, powering heavy machinery on the nation's next big electricity scheme.

Meridian Energy is looking at using bio-diesel to drive its vehicles and generators on the $1.3 billion Project Aqua construction of six power stations on the lower Waitaki River.

It has hired a Massey University masters student, Andy Smith, to develop an "environmentally friendly" fuel to power the bulldozers, scrapers and diggers.

Mr Smith manufactured bio-diesel from canola oil to power a VW Golf car in the Energy Wise Rally of New Zealand last year, and is now assessing the development of a refinery that would convert animal tallow into bio-diesel.

He said yesterday that New Zealand was likely to be the first in the world to use animal tallow as the base product in the process.

A comprehensive development plan for a "bio-diesel from tallow" refinery was drawn up last November for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, by consultant Barry Judd.

He said that of the 150,000 tonnes of tallow produced in new Zealand meatworks, about 120,000 tonnes was exported for use in animal foods and chemical manufacture, but could instead be used for bio-diesel.

Mr Smith said 55 million litres of fuel would be needed for the heavy machinery on the electricity scheme, and the bio-diesel would cut greenhouse gas emissions and could be blended with ordinary diesel in any proportion or used on its own.

- NZPA