Duck fat fuels Dordogne tractors

FARMERS in the Dordogne have developed a greener alternative to petrol for their tractors - using duck fat.

With the help of chemical engineers at Périgueux IUT university and waste collection authorities in the department, a group of farmers have started using biodiesel.

The duck fat is collected from restaurant waste and heated up to 120°C to eliminate water. The temperature is then halved and alcohol and potassium hydroxide added.

It is then mixed together for an hour and decanted to extract the biodiesel.

The experiment has produced 20,000 litres of fuel in the past year and is currently helping to run three vehicles.

The cost of production is about €1.11 per litre - higher than the discounted €0.92 rate that farmers pay for diesel - but could come down as the method is improved.

Photo: DeshaCAM - Fotolia.com