How to produce your own biofuel
How to make your own bioethanol, biogas or biodiesel safely and manage any hazardous raw materials and waste.
You may need a pollution prevention and control permit or waste management licence if you produce your own bioethanol or biogas.
How to produce bioethanol
You can make bioethanol fuel from a variety of sugar and starch-rich materials, mainly by fermentation and distillation. It can also be produced by the reaction of ethylene with steam.
When you produce bioethanol, the by-product is a residue called dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). DDGS are classified as a by-product and not a waste if they are used without further processing, either as animal feed or as a fuel. Waste management controls will not apply to your DDGS if you meet these requirements, for example you do not need to transport it using a waste carrier or with a waste transfer note.
How to produce biogas
Biogas can be produced from biodegradable materials including maize crops and wastes, including municipal or food wastes. The biodegradable material is turned into a gas by anaerobic digestion, using bacteria to break down the organic matter without oxygen in specially designed digesters.
You can then upgrade the biogas, for example using a membrane separation technique, to remove the CO2 and impurities and produce biomethane. You can use biomethane as a vehicle fuel.
The solid waste from anaerobic digestion is called digestate and it can be used in a similar way to compost.
If you follow you can produce a high quality digestate which can be sold without waste management controls. For example, if it is not classed as a waste, you do not need to transport it using a waste carrier or with a waste transfer note.
If you don't achieve the standards in the quality protocol then you must follow waste management controls when you handle, transport or apply the digestate.
How to produce biodiesel
There are two ways of producing biodiesel using waste or virgin vegetable oil:
- Chemical production using transesterification - where the oil is heated, filtered and combined with an alcohol (usually methanol) and a catalyst. The mixture will separate producing biodiesel and a by-product, glycerol.
- Physical production - where the oil is heated to melt the fat and remove water. It is then filtered and blended with hydrocarbons to alter the cetane rating (how easily a fuel ignites and how fast it will burn).
If you follow you can produce a high-quality biodiesel which you can sell without following waste management controls. For example, if it is not classed as a waste, you do not need to transport it using a waste carrier or with a waste transfer note, making it easier to sell your biodiesel.
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Quality standards for biofuels
You must meet quality standards to sell your fuel in countries within the European Union. These standards apply to biofuel and blends containing biofuel. For example, the standard EN14214 specifies the requirements and test methods for biodiesel produced for use in diesel engines.
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