French Fries Help Fight Climate Change?

From 24 Hours

Cars fuelled with french-fry grease are growing increasingly common thanks to a Vancouver co-op offering biodiesel at its pumps.

Over the weekend Recycling Alternatives became first in the Lower Mainland to sell B100, an unblended fuel made entirely of biological waste such as tallow and yellow grease, to its diesel-engine driving members.

Aside from kicking down carbon footprints, said biodiesel manager Jean-Michel Toriel, the benefits can be felt most in the pocketbook because B100 is exempt from the B.C. gas tax set to take effect July 1.

Members of the co-op sign an agreement and pay $25 up front to access the self-serve system.

Users are billed for the amount of biodiesel consumed with prices hovering around $1.45 per litre.

"As we put more biodiesel on line I think the cost will start to diminish," Toriel said.

Still, Toriel said fast foods fats aren't the answer to increasing energy needs.

"This is more of a transition ... to electric cars," he said. "We're filling a void because the big oil companies are asleep at the wheel on this one."