TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taiwan-led team has developed a portable system, small enough to fit in a backpack, that can convert used cooking oil into biodiesel for generators and most diesel-powered machines, CNA reported Friday.
The project was led by Chiang Ya-yu (蔣雅郁), associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at National Taiwan University, in collaboration with National Chung Hsing University and Thailand's Kasetsart University.
Chiang explained that producing biodiesel from plant or cooking oils usually requires large, complex equipment and significant water. One major challenge is separating the thick leftover liquids from the usable fuel, a step difficult to miniaturize.
The team overcame this using Corning microreactors, compact devices with tiny channels that enable safe, continuous chemical processing. Paired with a spiral coil separator, the system can efficiently handle thick oils.
In tests, the system converted more than 90% of used oil into biodiesel. The resulting product met or exceeded national quality standards.
Yang Cheng-you (楊承祐), a PhD student on the team, said the system is as easy to use as a convenience-store coffee machine. He suggested that in the future, it could sit next to a street food stall, turning leftover cooking oil into fuel for a generator.
Biodiesel is a fuel made from natural animal or plant oils through a chemical process. It produces far fewer harmful emissions than conventional petroleum diesel.
It can be used directly in diesel engines, either on its own or blended with petroleum diesel. As one of the world’s most promising green fuels, biodiesel is particularly valuable for Taiwan, which does not produce crude oil, according to the Ministry of National Defense.
Chiang said the team is working with CPC Corp., Taiwan’s largest state-owned energy company, on plans for commercial use. She emphasized that energy resilience is a major concern for Taiwan, noting that natural disasters or conflicts could disrupt supply.
The system could provide decentralized energy, supporting community power generation and medical emergency backup systems. As long as cooking oil is available, it can be converted into biodiesel for electricity production.
