PORT Moresby's first used cooking oil biodiesel plant has links to the Hastings region.
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The plant at Papua New Guinea's largest university, Pacific Adventist University, processes used commercial cooking oil into biodiesel.
Crescent Head-based consultancy business Grown Fuel designed, built and commissioned the plant, and will provide ongoing training and assistance, while Port Macquarie's Clarry Anderson Sheetmetal was responsible for the stainless work on the plant.
Pacific Adventist University drew on Grown Fuel's industry experience in biodiesel.
Grown Fuel owner Paul Martin said the project's biggest aim was to remove used cooking oil from the sewer system.
The project has rewards.
"I never get sick of running the first vehicle on biodiesel and seeing people's expressions," he said.
Mr Martin said it was good to help another country start to find uses for what was essentially waste.
It is projected the plant can process 20 tonnes of used cooking oil a month into biodiesel to run the university's generators, vehicle fleet and machinery at the university's market garden.
The plant is operational after two years of planning and the first cars are running on biodiesel.
Biodiesel is a complete replacement for fossil diesel when made to Australian fuel quality standards.
The next step is turning plastic bags into biofuel.
lisa.tisdell@fairfaxmedia.com.au
