Life cycle carbon footprint of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil based on survey data in Shanghai, China

Zhiyuan Hu, Jiayi Shen, Piqiang Tan and Diming Lou

Energy, 2025, vol. 320, issue C

Abstract: Waste cooking oil (WCO) will serve as the most viable and sustainable feedstock for biodiesel production in China. A life cycle carbon footprint analysis of biodiesel production from WCO in Shanghai was carried out based on survey data. A life cycle inventory was obtained, carbon emission characteristics were identified, and the carbon reduction potential and pathways were analyzed through scenario case study. The results revealed that the life cycle carbon emission of ‘WCO to biodiesel’ was 359.33 kg of CO2 per ton of biodiesel, which was only about 11.61 % of petroleum diesel. Biodiesel production stage was the hotspot in the ‘WCO to biodiesel’ life cycle, accounting for 77.48 % of total CO2 emissions. Four potential case scenarios were defined as using electric vehicles in WCO collection process, switching to zero carbon energy in WCO purification stage/biodiesel production, and a combination of the above three cases, which could bring about 0.41 %, 2.28 %, 20.44 % and 23.14 % CO2 reduction respectively. Finally, we provide forward-looking analysis and policy recommendations for further optimization. We believe a benign market environment and a carbon-emission oriented order allocation methodology will be conducive to the development of ‘WCO to biodiesel’ industry and the reduction of its carbon footprint.

Keywords: Waste cooking oil; Biodiesel; Carbon footprint; Life cycle; Shanghai (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:320:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225009600

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135318

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