Sinclair College Students Convert Cooking Oil to Produce Biodiesel Fuel that Runs the College's Tractors and Snow-Blowers

Dayton, OH – Sinclair College teaches students how to convert cooking oil to produce biodiesel fuel that is used to run the college’s snow blowing and grass cutting tractors. The college produces up-to 300 gallons of biodiesel a year. With the price of gasoline at around $3.00 a gallon, by producing biodiesel fuel, Sinclair College saves thousands of dollars on fuel costs annually.

“We have a social responsibility for our future generations,” said Woody Woodruff, Director of Facilities Management at Sinclair Community College. “We started this initiative about ten years ago and today the converted biodiesel fuel is used to power seven of our college tractors. Using biodiesel fuel significantly reduces the emissions of carbon monoxide and is a cleaner burning fuel. Not only is this is a more environmentally sustainable option but the conversion process is taught as lessons to our engineering and chemistry students. Recycling cooking oil to biodiesel fuel also saves us a significant amount of money in cleanup costs.”

“Our first priority is education and not only do our students gain valuable lessons in chemistry and engineering but recycling wasted cooking oil also saves our college money in cleanup costs,” said Bob Gilbert, Sinclair Professor and Director at the Center for Energy Education.

Sinclair offers students interested in the environmental field an Associate’s Degree Program in Environmental Engineering Technology and Energy Management Technology.