Pub powered from waste cooking oil

An enterprising licensee has seen energy bills tumble after using waste cooking oil to generate electricity.

Matt Solcombe is using a bio-diesel generator fuelled by oil produced at the Crown Inn at Woolhope, Herefordshire, at busy times when energy usage and charges are highest.

A four-hour period over lunch costs about one quarter of the amount of using electricity from the National Grid, said Solcombe.

The licensee inherited the generator when he moved into the pub six months ago. Solcombe converted it to bio-diesel after investigating how to do so on the internet.

He simply mixes the used oil with methanol in a special processing plant - and eight hours later the fuel is ready.

About 40 litres is used each week to power everything from fridges to electric heaters. Solcombe calculated that it costs 15p per litre to make £3.50-worth of electricity.

"We have seen massive savings," said the licensee. "Times are pretty tricky and we need to do everything we can to save money. We are also doing our bit for the environment so everyone wins."

The generator also protects against power cuts that have hit the pub in the past.

Solcombe still uses Eon to supply electricity at weekends, when rates are cheaper. The generator is not used while the garden is busy because of the noise.

Meanwhile, there are also plans to use the heat from the generator to boil water.

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