LEFT over cooking oil from full English breakfasts or fried fish and chips could be used to power homes across the country following the opening of a new power station near Selby.

Whitemoor Power Station was officially opened yesterday as the latest addition to REG Bio Power's fleet of renewable energy generating stations.

The company collects used cooking oil through its subsidiary, REG Living Fuels, and creates a bioliquid, which is then burnt at its power stations to produce 100 per cent eco-friendly energy.

Whitemoor has the capacity to provide 18 mega watts of electricity, the equivalent of powering up to 18,000 homes, using ten engines to fulfil REG Bio Power's contract with National Grid to provide emergency power during periods of high demand.

Ian Collins, managing director at REG Living Fuels, said: "We are delighted to introduce a greener initiative into the Selby area.

"The new power plant will allow North Yorkshire communities to make a substantial difference in moving towards sustainable living."

Selby MP Nigel Adams was on hand for the opening of the power station, which has created several new jobs for the area.

He also heard how North Yorkshire residents have this year alone already recycled enough used cooking oil to generate enough energy for 28 million cups of tea.

REG Living Fuels has been working in partnership with local councils and waste contractors, including Selby District Council, to collect used oil through its 500 house-hold recycles centres across the UK.

Mr Collins added: "We are extremely pleased at how well North Yorkshire residents have done this year, proving that people do care about responsibly recycling their waste.

"Recycling used cooking oil not only helps to avoid costly drain repairs, but also helps to build a sustainable source of renewable energy.

"The water companies waste cooking oil is a nightmare, but to Living Fuels it is an environmentally-friendly fuel.

"Our bioliquid has now clocked up more than 90,000 hours of electricity generation across our existing engines."

Whitemoor is REG Bio-Power's fifth, and biggest, renewable energy plant, joining RAF Brentwaters in Suffolk, two at Hockwold in Norfolk, where the biofuel is created, and Leeds North.


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