Climate

Biodiesel Derived from Category 1 & 2 Fat

Case Study 2


Biodiesel is an important use for Category 1 and 2 rendered animal fat which cannot return to the food chain









The Biodiesel Production Process

Products derived from higher risk Category 1 and 2 Animal By-Products (ABP) have limited applications and their use is forbidden in feed for farmed animals kept for the production of meat, milk and eggs. Similarly, catering waste is prohibited for feed use, which includes used cooking oils (UCO).

Biodiesel production is an EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) approved safe process and is a recognised alternative method to rendering for processing Category 1 and 2 fats and oils. Unlike clear vegetable oils such as soy and rape oil or palm fat, animal fats and UCO contain difficult to remove impurities such as fatty acids, polyethylene and sulphur. To address this, the biodiesel process is more complex, with pre-treatment and cleaning steps to produce certified standard biodiesel.

Second Generation (2G) Biofuel

Under the Renewable Energy Directive, biodiesel produced from animal residues and by-products from agriculture and slaughterhouses is classified as "Second Generation" biofuel (2G) — one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable biodiesels on the market today.

Why 2G Outperforms 1G

Unlike the less sustainable "first generation" biofuels made from food and feed grade crops, 2G biofuel avoids competing with the food supply chain. It transforms waste streams into high-value, low-carbon fuel — a true circular economy solution.

2G biofuels derived from these materials have 83% less COâ‚‚ emissions than fossil diesel (calculated according to EU-ISSC-CERT 2020).

Approved Process

EFSA-recognised safe alternative to rendering for Category 1 & 2 fats and oils.

Complex Pre-Treatment

Multi-step cleaning process removes fatty acids, polyethylene, and sulphur impurities.

Certified Standard

Output meets certified biodiesel standards suitable for blending with fossil diesel.

83% Less COâ‚‚

Dramatically lower carbon emissions compared to conventional fossil diesel fuel.

Daka ecoMotion: Impact at Scale

Daka ecoMotion in Denmark produces over 50 million litres of biodiesel from Category 1 and 2 fats per year, which is blended with fossil diesel for various transport fuel applications. In 2020, LCA Consultants and Aalborg University prepared an independent life cycle analysis of all Daka ecoMotion activities to assess their products' environmental impact from cradle to grave, this assessment was cheked and revised in 2024.

50M+

Litres Per Year

Annual biodiesel production from Category 1 & 2 fats.

210K

Tonnes COâ‚‚ Saved

COâ‚‚ equivalents eliminated annually by replacing fossil fuels (2024 LCA).

7x

Emissions Offset

Almost 7 times Daka ecoMotion's own transport and production emissions.

83%

Less COâ‚‚ vs Diesel

Carbon savings versus fossil diesel, per EU-ISSC-CERT 2020 methodology.

1 litre of fossil diesel = 3.38 kg CO₂ eqv  |  1 litre of biodiesel = 0.53 kg CO₂ eqv

Continuous Environmental Improvement

Daka ecoMotion's emissions have reduced significantly over the years through systematic energy management in line with ISO 50001. Key investments include:

Heat Recovery

Capturing and reusing waste heat across the production process to reduce energy demand.

Vacuum & Steam Optimisation

Refined vacuum and steam systems delivering significant energy efficiency gains.

Energy Efficient Lighting

Facility-wide transition to energy efficient lighting reducing electricity consumption.

Cooling Tower Improvements

Upgraded cooling systems reducing both energy use and water consumption across the site.


Next: Case Study 3