Semi-Green

Apparently, a town in Norfolk is to take part in a trial of a “green” oil that can be used in boilers to heat homes.

Supposedly this oil has a lower “carbon footprint” than normal fuel oil, and is thus “greener”.

However, there’s also this in the story…

The fuel being used is a biodiesel manufactured by Argent Energy, in Motherwell, Scotland, from used vegetable oil and tallow, which is blended with conventional oil by Pace Fuelcare, in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, before the company delivers it to the properties.

So this biodiesel is going to be transported from Motherwell to Kings Lynn (some 350 miles) by truck before being added to normal fuel oil, and then delivered – again by truck – to houses and schools.

All of which makes the entire ‘green’ carbon footprint of the stuff slightly more suspect than it perhaps should be…