Creating Renewable Energy
All grades of tallow can be used as liquid fuel in place of fossil fuel oils or vegetable oils. However, tallow from Category 1 animal by-products is principally used for this purpose since tallow from other categories (and especially Category 3) has other commercial uses.
The calorific value of tallow is just over 90% that of fuel oil and minimal modification of combustion equipment is needed to burn it. Direct emissions from tallow combustion in the form of particulates and sulphur dioxide (an 'acid gas') are considerably lower for tallow combustion than for fossil fuel oil combustion. Because tallow is a renewable resource burning it in place of fossil fuels reduces overall greenhouse gas emissions.
Meat and bone meal is also used as a renewable fuel. In some instances it can be added to existing solid fuel sources such as pulverised coal but it can also be used in its own right to provide the energy for power production. As with tallow fuel oil the use of MBM in this way reduces the use of fossil fuels.
As well as being burned directly as a renewable fuel, tallow can be used to manufacture diesel fuel (biodiesel). This production and use is a key element in allowing the UK and Europe to achieve a target of 5.75% of all road transport fuels to be biofuels by 2010.
Biofuels can also be produced from vegetable oils. However, setting aside land to grow crops for biofuel production takes that land out of food production and the subsequent pressure on crop prices increases prices of basic foods (especially grains). More information on this is available in the Environment section of the site.