Bioprocessor units that produce diesel fuel from vegetable oil have been introduced by MB Industrial, a UK company based in Cheltenham. They are available from small scale processors able to produce 45 000 litres per year through to computer controlled systems capable of delivering 5 - 15 million litres per year.

Produced from new or used vegetable oil, the clean-burning biodiesel can be made for a cost of only about 50p per litre including duty, a huge saving on forecourt prices.

"Diesel engines do not need any modification to use the fuel," said Matthew Barnes, who heads MB Industrial. "In fact, they run better on it and produce less pollution."

Whilst some fleet operators will want to use a 10 per cent mixture of biodiesel and conventional mineral diesel, most diesel engines will happily run on 100 per cent biodiesel. In fact, many drivers using fuel from biodiesel processors don't set foot in a service station from one month to the next!

Biodiesel also helps to decrease maintenance costs and reduce engine wear thanks to its superior lubricating and cleaning properties.

The MB Industrial processors were designed take advantage of fuel supplies from local resources, such as rapeseed crops. Using these decentralised systems reduces transport costs and helps the environment. Biodiesel is environmentally friendly, unlike mineral diesel, as it is biodegradable, non-toxic, carbon neutral and essentially free of sulphur and aromatic hydrocarbons.

MB Industrial provides all the equipment and supplies needed to make biodiesel. All that is needed to produce the fuel is vegetable oil, methanol, caustic soda, electricity and tap water. Even heavily used cooking oil (often available free from restaurants etc) can be used. The methanol is reused within the process.

Bioprocessor systems from MB Industrial are currently being evaluated by national road haulage companies.