Cooking oil generates electricity

A scheme to recycle used cooking oil in Suffolk is supplying power to homes.

Oil collected at household waste centres is turned into a power source by Living Fuels based near Brandon.

A total of 5,500 litres of used cooking oil collected between March and October this year has been used to generate clean electricity.

This quantity of oil is capable of generating enough power for 4.29 average homes for a whole year, a county council spokesman said.

Living Fuels has perfected a process for purifying the used cooking oil without the addition of any chemicals or supplements to produce a fuel which will be used to drive an engine to generate electricity.

Eddy Alcock, portfolio holder for environment and waste management, said: "We are delighted that this new service for residents has proved so successful.

"By using the collection banks provided at their local household waste recycling centre, householders are helping to protect our environment and aiding the production of green electricity."