Abu Dhabi to Start Collection of Used Cooking Oil for Biofuels Processing

Starting next year, used cooking oil from homes and restaurants will be sent to the city’s new Waste to Energy plant.  Abu Dhabi’s waste management centre will start recycling the waste cooking oil to produce biodiesel. Abdul Mohsin Al Katheeri, acting director of projects and facilities at Tadweer, said the doorstep project is expected to start in Q1 2022. Residents will be provided with secure containers to safely dispose of their used oil. 

A licensed recycling company will take these containers to Tadweer’s Waste to Energy plant, which is currently under construction. The processing unit is being set up with the help of Emirates Water and Electricity Company, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Power Corporation. “The used cooking oil is treated using fatty acid to produce biodiesel. Imagine turning the used cooking oil in your kitchen to biodiesel,” Mr. Al Katheeri said.  The project’s investors will reach out to restaurants and hotels and ask them to recycle their waste cooking oil. 

“A project to produce biofuels from waste, including sustainable aviation fuel, biodiesel and methanol is also in the pipeline.  Converting waste to biofuel will not only benefit Tadweer in achieving its waste diversion goals but support the UAE aviation industry with the new international low carbon regulation,” he said.