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Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS)

Best Practices of Municipal Biodiesel Production

Reference Number: MTAS-737
Reviewed Date: 12/12/2022

The city of Gadsden, Alabama initiated a WVO recycling program and biodiesel production program in the fall of 2007. Like many municipalities, it was faced with rising fuel costs. It was also faced with another common problem of municipalities: high maintenance costs in the wastewater treatment system due to grease from households and restaurants. After expressing its intention to start a recycling and biodiesel production program, the city was designated as an Auburn University Energy Partner. In this relationship, personnel from the Gadsden municipal fleet worked with personnel from Auburn University’s Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System to establish the biodiesel production system. Gadsden is currently recycling used cooking oils that are available from local restaurants and households to produce biodiesel, and as a result minimizing fleet fuel expenditures and wastewater treatment system maintenance. Additional financial support for this program was provided by the Energy Division of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.