New Indonesian stove fueled by used cooking oil

Indonesian scientists say a new stove fueled by used cooking oil may be an environmentally friendly way to reduce kerosene use. Safriadi, a researcher from the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), said in a presentation posted on the website of the State Ministry of Research and Technology that the used cooking oil, commonly known as jelantah, can be used as a source of biodiesel fuel to power cooking stoves to substitute for kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas.

“We hope that the public can take advantage of it even though this is not a new technology and BPPT only modified the stove’s burner,” Safriadi told The Jakarta Globe, adding that the modification was necessary to ensure that the used cooking oil, which has a high viscosity, will burn well.

BPPT has been trying to find a substitute for kerosene since 2004 when world oil prices soared. The research is part of an Indonesian government program launched in 2006 to encourage the use of vegetable oil as an eco-friendly fuel.