Are there opportunities for on-farm biodiesel production in Ontario?
Waste or used vegetable oils and animals fats are the most economical feedstocks for biodiesel production. There is only a limited supply of waste oils and if they are not available, the largest potential on-farm source of feedstock oil in this province is soybeans. Pressing soybeans yields not only oil, but also soybean meal. Ontario livestock producers often grow soybeans on a portion of their land base, sell the harvested beans and subsequently purchase soy meal to include in their livestock feed rations. Let us explore further the value-added potential of on-farm soybean processing. Determining how to extract the oil from the oilseed is the first step. When selecting an oil expeller, it is wise to choose one that has a higher extraction efficiency because it will improve the profitability potential.
