On March 1st, 2019, FSSAI banned the use of the same cooking oil more than three times due to the harsh effect caused by it. As repeatedly using of the same cooking oil changes physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory properties, which leads to the formation of frying fats.
A couple in Delhi has successfully converted 3 lakh liters of used cooking oil from eateries to Biofuel. Co-founded by Kriti Vaishnav with her husband Sushil Vaishnav, KNP Arises Green Energy Private Ltd is generating Biofuel from Used Cooking Oil (UCO).
🤒 Adverse Effects Of UCO.
Repeatedly using Same Cooking oil may lead to
- Changes the Physiochemical, Nutritional and Sensory properties.
- Total Polar Compounds (TPCs) (Frying fats) Is formed in the oil while frying.
If it s directly thrown into drainage then,
- It pollutes water bodies,
- Clogs our sewer system and
- Generates a heavy load on our effluent treatment plants (ETPs)
According to sources, 60% of UCO gets sold back to small food vendors which then comes back to our plates and causes serious health issues. like cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Other heart-related problems.
📝 Guidelines for Using UCO.
- Oil once used for frying foods should be filtered and may be used for making curry preparations in order to make it economical. Avoid using the same oil for frying.
- UCO should be disposed of when blue-grey smoke appears or tough foam gets formed or oil becomes dark and murky or the consistency of the oil changes.
- These are some of the indications of the deteriorated quality of the oil, according to the FSSAI.
📖 Story Behind KNP.
One day eating at a Delhi restaurant, the couple found the struggle of restaurants in disposing of UCO., due to lack of awareness. Then in November 2019, began the journey of KNP Arises Green Energy Private Ltd which aimed to promote sustainable development utilizing eco-friendly methodology.
As Sushil is a graduate in food technology with an MBA in operations, on other hand Kirti is a graduate in electronics and communication engineering with a talent for marketing and tech management.
Sushil Said
Having extensive experience in the food industry, technology and supply chain, we wanted to work towards improving the quality of street food in our cities. During our market research, we observed a lack of awareness and infrastructure for used cooking oil. We wanted to make sure once our families go out to eat, they can eat without health risks.
KNP Arises is collecting cooking oils and fats that have been used over three times at a relevant price and converts them to bio-diesel. Apart from this the company also provides a wide range of services to different factories to manage their waste oils and fat. With tailor-made packages for Supermarkets and Fast Food Outlets, KNP Arises tries to eliminate any potential issues of dealing with waste.
👩🔬 How Food waste is Converted into BIO-Fuel.
It is done with the help of fermentation technology, which makes it possible to covert the best out of food waste.
- First, the FOOD waste is separated into organic and non-organic materials.
- The organic one is blended uniformly followed by its dehydration.
- Then oil is extracted from these granules
- The resultant liquid is filtered and then Fermented.
This is how this Bio-Fuel is made from other food waste and UCO.
🚛 From Where do they get UCO?
KNP arises collects UCO from every food business operator like restaurants, hotels, small food hawkers, caterers, cloud kitchens, temples and gurudwaras, office and institutional canteens, and snack factories, across more than 35 cities.
Sushil said.
We collect used cooking oil (UCO) from different locations and store it in our centralised warehouse where preliminary treatment of oil takes place. Now, this oil is ready for biodiesel conversion. With transesterification (the process in which fat or oil reacts with an alcohol to form esters and glycerol), UCO is converted into biodiesel.
They don’t have any bio-fuel conversion plant of their own.
Since there is a huge scarcity of raw material (UCO) for biodiesel generation, our focus starting out is on collection. At present, we don’t own any plant for biodiesel conversion. Rather, we have tied up with a third-party operator to help convert UCO into biodiesel. Currently, we sell our biodiesel to major public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) like HPCL and BPCL, those in the transport industry, furnaces, and users of boilers, and many more applications
🤳 How to Sell your UCO.
They have a mobile app of their own “KNP Arises” where you can place a request to collect your UCO.
You can download the app:- Download By clicking Here
Also, they are working on IoT ( Internet of things) that will be based on containers that will increase their collecting capabilities and also transparency in the process.
A liter UCO can produce 850 to 900 ml of biodiesel depending on the quality of the raw material used.
🏦 INCUBATION.
Currently, KNP Arises Green Energy Private Ltd is incubated under Shell India’s E4 program.
Shell E4 Program provides a platform for collaboration and conversation around valuable energy transitions, offering startups an opportunity to bring their ideas to life with Shell’s guidance and support.
Kriti said.
Incubation with Shell India has given me the opportunity to connect with the right people from the industry who have guided us to find the right path. We have received blanket support whenever required. It has been an amazing experience with the Shell India E4 team.
The start-up has generated a revenue of more than 10 crores yet..
Last year our revenue was Rs 3.5 crore and yes, we have broken even. Our aim is to take a leadership position in supplying all types of agri-waste for conversion into advanced biofuel. Till now, we have raised funding worth Rs 1 crore. We are also raising funds for pivoting. With these , we are expecting to grow fast and meet India’s advanced biofuel requirement.
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