Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel LLC (PFoD) was founded in 2004 by the Energy Cooperative Association of Pennsylvania (ECAP), a member-owned cooperative providing renewable electricity, heating oil, bioheating oil, and biodiesel to thousands of consumers, businesses and organizations in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2002 ECAP began searching for an affordable, renewable option for heating oil. At that time, the closest biodiesel production was in the Midwest, and ECAP did not believe it was economical or environmentally preferable to truck fuel halfway across the country. PFoD was launched to address the lack of sources of local production of cost-competitive, cleaner-burning, renewable fuels for home heating and diesel fleets in the Philadelphia area.

Since its founding in 2004, PFoD has constructed a pilot plant in north Philadelphia at which it has developed innovative technology for conversion of restaurant trap grease into high-quality biodiesel. Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning, renewable fuel, made from fats, oils or greases that can be used in most oil burners and diesel engines without retrofit. Trap grease is the grease that goes down the drain in a restaurant and is collected in a “grease trap.” Unlike restaurant fryer grease, trap grease is a true waste product grease haulers currently pay to dispose of trap grease. Most biodiesel is currently produced from a single feedstock, soybean oil, and high soybean prices are already constraining biodiesel production. PFoD believes that the real business opportunity in biofuels is in exploitation of waste feedstocks. PFoD’s technology has been optimized to produce biodiesel from high-free-fatty-acid feedstocks, such as trap grease, animal fats, and soy soapstock, which are different enough from virgin oils to require a different
process.

To date, PFoD has been funded by ECAP and through grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. PFoD has also received in-kind support from the US Department of Agriculture and from Drexel University Engineering students.

Sustainability Narrative
PFoD intends to demonstrate a successful urban model of biodiesel production. Rather than rely on a heavily centralized model of fuel production with inherent inefficiencies in transporting raw materials and final product, PFoD envisions a network of smaller production facilities that are scaled based on local availability of feedstock and local demand for biodiesel. PFoD believes this distributed generation model has significant advantages not only in reducing transportation costs but in improving product quality and accountability. PFoD’s model of small-scale, local fuel production also has implications for energy security because a decentralized energy production model is less susceptible to major disruption from a single catastrophic event.


Results
Although PFoD is not yet in commercial production, it has received national attention as a model of innovation – turning a bad into a good. PFoD has been featured in national trade publications and on National Public Radio. In January PFoD made national news when it announce that it would be making biodiesel out of an 800 pound butter sculpture of Ben Franklin and the Liberty Bell that was a feature at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. PFoD recently received a Renewable Energy Leadership award from Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.

PFoD’s work has struck a chord because grease problems are universal – anyplace with any density of restaurants and food service facilities experiences the same problems with improper grease disposal which causes sewer backups and pollutes local waterways. John Harkins, an environmental engineer for EPA's Region 4, reports that data collected by EPA suggests that grease is the primary cause of 40% - 50% of sewer overflows nationwide and a secondary factor in another 10% - 25% percent. When combined sewers overflow, grease and other untreated contaminants enter the watershed, causing untold environmental damage. PFoD has received requests for information from municipalities and private companies in 10 states and five countries. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has estimated the potential for biodiesel produced from trap grease to be approximately 495 million gallons per year nationwide.

Use of biodiesel decreases unhealthy air emissions - it is estimated that combustion of diesel fuel contributes 15-20% of the sulfur dioxide (SO2) and 63% of the particulate matter (PM) in Pennsylvania’s air. A study by the US Environmental Protection Agency found that biodiesel’s air emissions are significantly lower than emissions from petroleum diesel.

PFoD intends to build a commercial production facility in the Philadelphia area that would produce 2.7 million gallons of biodiesel per year. If this is blended as a “B20,” that is, 20% biodiesel and 80% petro-diesel it will result in the following annual emissions reductions:

What people are saying about Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel:

"Just like Ben Franklin stood out among his peers as a symbol of originality, Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel shines as an outstanding example of the power of innovation. Not every firm can turn butter statues of Ben Franklin into clean-burning fuel—and it’s only fitting that Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel is using the very model of independence himself to show us the way to lessen our own dependence on foreign fuel."

Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection

“Philadelphia Fry-O-Diesel LLC...is an industry leader, proving that it is technically and economically viable to produce high-quality biodiesel from restaurant trap grease.”

News Release of Governor Rendell announcing Renewable Energy Leadership
Award Winners

“In order to realize a reduction in harmful emissions, the City is interested in exploring the use of alternate fuels, including biodiesel, in our fleet. Many organizations, including the EPA, have noted that exposure to diesel emissions poses a significant public health threat. Overwhelming evidence indicates the use of biodiesel blends significantly reduces such emissions.”

“The intention to use restaurant trap grease as the raw material for biodiesel has many economic benefits to the City. Beneficial reuse will reduce the deliberate or accidental disposal of trap grease into the City sewer system, reducing annual sewer maintenance costs for the City.”

Letter of support from Philadelphia Mayor John Street

“As a restauranteur, I know first-hand the problems of finding a good use for the waste grease generated by our food preparation. We value innovative solutions like the one Fry-o-Diesel is proposing, and would be proud to contribute our trap grease to their operation.”

Letter of Support from Judy Wicks, White Dog Cafe

“We are pleased to collaborate with Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel in bringing biodiesel to the Northeastern United States. Our research and expertise coupled with Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel’s innovation and market savvy will play a key role in America’s road to energy independence.”

Dr. John Cherry, Director of the United States Department of Agriculture’s
Eastern Regional Research Center