Case study detail
Sundance Renewables Community Biodiesel
Contributed by:
Jan Cliff
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Sundance Renewables is a not-for-profit company which uses a sustainable approach to increase renewable energy systems and help community regeneration. At its small chemical plant in Ammanford, South Wales, Sundance Renewables make renewable fuel from locally sourced used vegetable oil.
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Overview
Sundance Renewables is a not-for-profit company committed to increasing renewable energy systems in Wales and helping community regeneration through a sustainable approach. It intends for any surplus profits to be used to support other community renewable energy projects. Sundance Renewables make a renewable fuel from 100% locally sourced used vegetable oil at its small chemical plant in Ammanford, South Wales. This is the first time an industrial process of this nature has been undertaken as a non profit taking enterprise and the first production and sale of biodiesel in Wales. There are not even any garages in Wales selling 5% biodiesel petrol. It has a low environmental impact, reducing CO2 by 90% when using cooking oil compared to diesel.
In setting up a community based biodiesel production plant they have pioneered a ground breaking enterprise. They have a strong market in being unique in selling the 100% blend, as opposed to local garages and forecourts selling 5%. The latter is in line with government targets. They are keen to see it replicated as a sustainable community venture and run training courses of two or three days on how to set up community enterprises to produce biodiesel and can follow on with a complete support package to make biodiesel production a reality in other communities. They offer feasibility studies, business plans, permit applications to a full design and installation service with operator training and ongoing support.
Local communities collecting used vegetable oil to produce and sell locally as a renewable biofuel is one of the most environmentally friendly and empowering things one can do. The transport sector is responsible for about a third of global carbon emissions and if one is to seriously tackle climate change one cannot afford to miss this opportunity to reduce the impact of fossil diesel with environmentally friendly biodiesel.
Biodiesel is a proven fuel with over 20 years use in Europe. Following the success of the pilot phase, where approximately 400,000 miles ran on biodiesel over a six month period, Sundance Renewables wants to ensure that biodiesel enterprises follow best practice guidelines and wants to help facilitate the roll out of community based biodiesel production - it does not have to be the preserve of multi-nationals. There is also now a proposal for Coop stores to retail biodiesel.
After a difficult setting up time, the official launch of the plant was in October 04, when Sundance were also awarded an Action Earth prize from the Environment Agency. They have also won a EuroSolar award for services to renewable energy.
They started sales of biodiesel on November 1st 04 and have achieved EN14214 – the European Quality standard for biodiesel.
Key features
energy
Key data
Completion Date: 01/04/2005
Project Team: Sundance Renewables
Cost: £200,000
Local Authority: Carmarthenshire
Client: Sundance Renewables
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