There are a number of environmental benefits of using biodiesel - particularly biodiesel made from by-products of other industries.

Argent’s use of tallow and used cooking oil creates demand for these products which have few alternative uses.

The use of biodiesel also helps consumers and businesses reduce their carbon footprint - the amount of carbon dioxide emitted as a result of energy used. Argent's biodiesel production displaces carbon dioxide, one of the main gases responsible for global warming. This will contribute significantly to the government's predicted savings of 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year (equivalent to taking 1 million cars off the road) to be achieved by requiring 5 per cent of all road fuels sold in the UK to come from renewable sources by 2010.

Under a European Community funded research project the manufacture of biodiesel from tallow and used cooking oil in the Argent Energy plant and its subsequent use as a road fuel has been independently assessed by the Technical University of Graz who carried out a Life Cycle Analysis.

The main point is that the ecological footprint from biodiesel of all types is more environmentally friendly than mineral diesel. And biodiesel from tallow and used cooking oil is better for the environment than biodiesel produced from virgin oils such as rapeseed oil. Taking into account all the energy used in producing biodiesel from tallow and used cooking oil and then adding the displacement of carbon dioxide, Argent Energy’s activity has a net positive effect on the environment.