 | ||
Alpha biofuels cna the strategist
Alpha Biofuels, established in 2004, is a spin-off from the parent company Alpha Synovate. The company converts waste cooking oil to fuel, providing a renewable, cleaner and cheaper alternative to diesel. The founders of Alpha Biofuels, Allan and Jack Lim, started their business working out from the lab of Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College East where they produced 50 litres of biodiesel every week.
Contents
- Alpha biofuels cna the strategist
- Mission and vision
- Products and services
- Project SCORE SChool Oil REcycling and Project RUSCO Recycling of U Sed Cooking Oil
- Project Green at Yu Neng Primary School
- Choa Chu Kang Community Green Tour
- Earth Hour Singapore
- Ang Kor Hospital for Children
- Project Liquid Gold
- The Green Luxury Project
- The Living Project
- Sustainable Biofuels Awards
- References
Alpha Biofuels was involved in developing the world’s first integrated biodiesel system for Asia Square Tower, where biodiesel was converted to meet the diesel needs during the course of constructing the building. Since 2011, the company’s focus has shifted from mass production of biodiesel to developing clean energy technology from urban waste and integrating the technologies into the urban landscape. In 2011, Alpha Biofuels signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sino-Tianjin Eco-city to develop clean innovative waste-to-energy projects through the implementation of an organic waste gastification and bio-diesel system. In the same year, the company also signed a letter of intent for Guangzhou Knowledge City to provide a system to convert used cooking oil into electricity for the city
In Singapore, Alpha Biofuels is collaborating with about 200 organisations on a programme known as "Waste oil for fuel", where these corporations will provide waste oil and/or consume biodiesel. Notable companies include Swedish furniture giants IKEA who has been recycling their restaurants’ used cooking oil since December 2010 and Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. In 2010, Alpha Biofuels collaborated with final year students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic to collect 48,000 litres of used cooking oil that can be used to power the diesel equipments for the Youth Olympic Games. In 2014, The Westin Singapore became the first organisation to complete the waste-oil-to-energy loop whereby the used cooking oil from their kitchens will be used to power the hotel’s fleet of limousines.
Mission and vision
Alpha Biofuels strives to empower communities by changing their perceptions on clean energy. Through education and development programmes, the company conducts programmes where individuals are taught how to contribute and make a difference within their communities by recycling used cooking oil into soaps.
Products and services
Alpha Biofuels uses the process of biodiesel production to create biodiesel. Used cooking oil is first processed to remove impurities from cooking, storage and handling. The processed cooking oil is converted into biodiesel and other by-products in a process called transesterification where potassium hydroxide and methanol is added. The resulting products will then undergo demethylation, a process where the methanol is removed through the process of distillation before the biodiesel is further purified for use. Apart from biodiesel, the company has developed a process to create plastic with coffee grounds and created an environmentally-friendly replacement to traditional sludge removers, known as Bio-Oil & Sludge Remover (BioOSR).
Other products and services offered by the company include gasifier, biodigester, micro-reactor for biodiesel production and soap.
Project SCORE (SChool Oil REcycling) and Project RUSCO (Recycling of U Sed Cooking Oil)
In 2010, Alpha Biofuels is involved in the public education of recycling used cooking oil. Project SCORE is an event run by Alpha Biofuels to spread the message of environmental conservation to schools, community centres, and residential committees.
Recycling of USed Cooking Oil @ North West is part of the programme under the 3R programme launched as part of the Green Living @ North West CDC’s 10-year ECO Plan. The project was initiated when Yishun Junior College approached Alpha Biofuels to recycle used cooking oil.
As part of project RUSCO, Alpha Biofuels collects used cooking oil from Chong Pang Food and Market Centre and schools in Chong Pang, Nee Soon Central and Nee Soon East. The recycled oil is used for diesel engines. Residents and participating schools are educated on the proper way of disposing used cooking oil to prevent the pollution of Singapore’s water system. Students from participating schools were also able to take part in a hands-on activity to learn how to make raw soap from used cooking oil.Funds raised from this project is donated to the North West Food Aid Fund and the School Pocket Money Fund.
Project Green at Yu Neng Primary School
In 2008, Alpha Biofuels supported Yu Neng primary school with Project Green to help educate students about the importance of recycling and creating a sustainable green future. This was the first partnership between a primary school and a fuel solution company. Formally launched in July 2010, students collected used cooking oil from neighbouring houses after a series of talks held by Alpha Biofuels.. The cooking oil was then converted into biodiesel by Alpha Biofuels.
Choa Chu Kang Community Green Tour
In May 2010, a community green tour was successfully organised for the residents from Choa Chu Kang. This event marked the long time collaboration between Alpha Biofuels and the Choa Chu Kang district for the ‘Cash for Oil’ programme. The residents were brought around the biodiesel plant where they witnessed how waste was recycled, and how biodiesel actually worked and benefited the community. Participants also took a tour through Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, where they got to observe nature and wildlife and appreciate the importance of preserving the environment. A soap making workshop at Gardenesia was also conducted by Alpha Biofuels for the residents of Choa Chu Kang.
Earth Hour Singapore
Alpha Biofuels pledged their support for Earth Hour 2010 by providing logistical support for the event in Singapore. Biodiesel was also used to fuel the mobile diesel generators that were used to provide electricity for the activities around Esplanade Park. Biodiesel was also used to power the concert at the event. Electricity was generated on-site by biodiesel that was converted from recycled cooking oil collected from Four Seasons Hotel and shopping mall 313@Somerset.
Ang Kor Hospital for Children
In 2007, Alpha Biofuels worked alongside Friends Without Borders to create a generator fully powered by used cooking oil for the Ang Kor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap. Through this project, the collection of waste cooking oil in the community helped to generate income for the locals, and the biodiesel microprocessor provided the locals with an independent source of sustainable clean energy.
Project Liquid Gold
In 2009, Alpha Biofuels supervised a project that received an award of Merit in the Greenwave Environmental Competition. Greenwave, organised by Sembawang Shipyard aims to further involve the masses in environmental care and protection.
Project Liquid Gold was conceived by a student from Raffles Institution. The project focuses on the blueprint and implementation of transforming waste cooking oil into viable biodiesel through the study of current waste oil disposal of the community. The project was stretched further when waste oil was collected from the school dining hall and canteen of Raffles Institution.
The Green Luxury Project
Alpha Biofuels partnered Westin Singapore and Wearnes Automotive to convert waste cooking oil to biodiesel to power its Jaguar limousines since November 2013. The initial conversion to biodiesel is done at Alpha Biofuels’ plant in Tuas. Refining of the used cooking oil will be moved from the plant to the compounds of the hotel once the hotel gets its mirco-refinery.
The Living Project
The Living Project is a social enterprise set up by Alpha Biofuels and Garden Asia, a farming and landscaping firm. The Living Project established a Community Crop farming (ComCrop) programme in 2011. The ComCrop programme sets up community plots of land for gardening. The programmes runs on a voluntary basis and the gardeners are residents of the community who can sign up with their community clubs or residents’ committee. The plot of land uses organic compost that is made from coffee grounds and brewery hops donated by Starbucks and Brewerkz.
In 2012, The Living Project took part in a showcase at Fete des Lumieres (Festival of Lights) in Lyon, France becoming the first ever Asian artpiece to be showcased at the Festival.
Sustainable Biofuels Awards
Alpha Biofuels was one of the three finalists nominated for the Sustainable Biodiesel Award 2011. The award recognizes the innovation of companies in developing sustainable and renewable fuels.