Viva Energy and Cleanaway sign MOU to produce UCO-based biofuels in Australia

In Australia, Viva Energy and Cleanaway signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a significant step towards the manufacture of low-carbon liquid fuels and products in Australia.

The MoU would see large quantities of domestic used cooking oil (UCO) delivered to Viva Energy’s Geelong refinery to produce advanced fuels like a renewable diesel (RD) blend and products such as a biocircular polymer. The agreement aims to establish an ongoing supply of UCO from Cleanaway’s Laverton used cooking oil treatment facility, highlighting the potential for local waste to become a valuable resource for communities and the national economy.

Viva Energy has been running a successful pilot program at its Geelong refinery demonstrating coprocessing which involves UCO being processed in commercial quantities alongside crude oil in the refinery and transformed into high-value products. The UCO for the trials has been sourced from Cleanaway’s facilities where the oil is purified into a ready-to-use feedstock for the refinery. By scaling up local supply and using it in the refinery, the loop will be closed between waste generation, resource recovery and re-use.

By transforming used cooking oil into sustainable fuels and materials, Viva Energy and Cleanaway are demonstrating a practical pathway to help customers who are looking to reduce their Scope 1 emissions by using products such as renewable diesel, including Cleanaway which operates more than 4100 heavy vehicles that provide essential waste management services to the community. It also supports local jobs, underpins Australian industry and reduces reliance on imported feedstocks and materials.