UNR receives grant for biodiesel project

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Thursday, July 22, 2004 | 7:54 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - The University of Nevada, Reno has been awarded a $69,000 grant to find a cleaner, cheaper way to produce biodiesel, an alternative fuel made from renewable fats and vegetable oils.

The grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will fund a pilot project that will use ethanol, rather than methanol, to make the fuel.

Ethanol is cleaner, less toxic and less corrosive than methanol, the EPA said.

UNR will work with the Washoe District Health Department and Nevada Department of Agriculture.

"Thanks to this project, yesterday's french fry grease is tomorrow's truck fuel," said Jeff Scott, director of the EPA's waste division for the Pacific Southwest region.

Restaurants and hotels produce over 3 million gallons of waste cooking oil annually, the EPA said.

"Biodiesel is not only a viable alternative fuel with air quality benefits, but its use can also reduce the amount and expense of waste that gets sent to landfills across the country.

The agency noted that in southern Nevada's Clark County, the school district powers 1,000 vehicles with biodiesel made from cooking oil from Las Vegas casinos.