The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) in Lebanon and IPT Energy Center signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) July 16 to install a pilot-scale biodiesel production unit on campus to be fed by used cooking oil (UCO).

The goal of the project is to encourage and promote sustainable biodiesel production by collecting household UCO in storage tanks available at select IPT fueling stations and at the USEK university campus in Kaslik, and using the pilot plant to convert the waste oils into fuel at USEK. The biodiesel produced will be shared between USEK and IPTEC, with USEK’s share to be consumed in university generators. Certain IPT fueling stations will be selling IPTEC’s share of biodiesel from the project for commercial use.

The organizations intend the project to raise public awareness about the importance of UCO recycling while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, scale-up the collection and reuse of UCO, set the technical parameters and specifications for biodiesel from UCO, and promote its use. The project will be supported by awareness campaigns and incentives to encourage participation and will be assessed for its replicability at the national level in coordination with and support from the United Nations Development Programme. The parties intend to lobby for and support mainstream use of biodiesel in Lebanon.