LONDON, ENGLAND, April 19, 2007: American oil company ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods, the world’s biggest meat producer, have announced that they will produce diesel from pork fat. Cows and chickens will also be transformed to power motor vehicles. The companies say that this renewable source of energy will be cleaner than conventional diesel. It is hoped that it will be available at petrol stations by the end of the year. “It is chemically equivalent to diesel itself,” said Geoff Webster, who is managing the scheme for Tyson Foods, in an interview with the BBC World Service. “It has lower carbon dioxide, it is zero sulphur, so many positive benefits for the environment.” In two years, ConocoPhillips expects to produce in the region of 175 million gallons of animal diesel a year. That will add another 15,000 barrels of diesel a day, which amounts to about 3 percent of the company’s total diesel output.
While animal diesel may be an environmentally friendly alternative, there are fears it may not be to everybody’s tastes or ethics. Mr Webster admitted that they were yet to discuss this new product with vegetarian and religious groups. The diesel when produced will be pumped into a network and mixed with other types of diesel. It will not be possible to tell at petrol stations whether the diesel is made from animal fat or not.
In a statement, the animal rights group PETA expressed its dismay. “A recent report published by the United Nations concludes that the meat industry is responsible for more global warming emissions than all the cars, trucks and planes in the world combined.” “Clearly, the answer to global warming isn’t to fill gas guzzling cars with ground up remains of tortured animals, it is to go vegetarian, which is something every person can afford to do and should do for the sake of their own health, animals and the environment.”