The basic fuel used in a Cantium CHP unit is vegetable oil. This can be almost any type of used veg oil, for example from fryers, or fresh plant oil from various seed crops. As far as possible we try to source our fuel locally by obtaining waste cooking oil from catering outlets and other businesses.
In combination with a liquid biofuel, our engines will operate using combustable gas as fuel. This gas could be the product of an Anaerobic Digestion plant, compressed bio-methane, LPG or Natural Gas.
The plant will also operate on fossil diesel and any of the various biodiesel blends that are produced for road vehicles. However, fossil fuels are clearly not sustainable and even biodiesel is not carbon neutral. This is because the production of biodiesel, which may use waste veg oil as a feedstock, involves a complex esterification process requiring the use of toxic reagents and chemical catalysts. This all requires significat energy inputs and does not make for a particularly ‘green’ fuel.
A Cantium plant will also operate using waste animal fats as fuel. Certain types of tallow or lard are acceptable without voiding the warranty conditions but these fuels will need specific treatment before use.
