Used Cooking Oil Feedstock (UCO) Feedstock

The rising adoption of low-carbon fuels is driving demand for used cooking oil feedstock (UCO) in markets throughout North America, Europe and Asia. As an ISCC-certified global supplier of bio-based diesel fuel and feedstocks, Targray is well-positioned to meet this demand growth with wholesale used cooking oil solutions aimed at creating value and strengthening the supply chain. Supported by a dedicated team of trade, logistics and compliance experts, our used cooking oil feedstock supply programs are designed to efficiently address the procurement requirements of each customer.

  • International sourcing network of ISCC-certified used cooking oil (UCO) suppliers
  • Direct access to UCO biodiesel suppliers and buyers in North America and Europe
  • Wholesale UCO procurement programs with flexible pricing options
  • Considerable expertise surrounding compliance and supply chain sustainability
  • Real-time UCO pricing and product availability information for customers
  • Turnkey logistics services managed entirely in-house
  • UCO sales offices in Switzerland, the United States and Canada

UCO as a Biodiesel Feedstock

Used Cooking Oil (UCO) – sometimes referred to as waste cooking oil – refers to oils and fats that have been used for cooking or frying in the food processing industry, restaurants, and households. It can originate from both waste vegetable oil and animal fats. It is estimated that around 90% of cooking oils and fats in the EU are produced from vegetable oil. 

The quality of UCO is critical to its transformation into advanced biofuels, and is impacted by a range of factors including the cooking oil collection method. The main challenge in using UCOs as a renewable energy resource is their content in impurities like free fatty acid and water. Even in small amounts, fatty acids can cause problems to occur in transesterification  – the process used to produce renewable fuels for diesel engines. Consequently, UCOs destined for use as a feedstock to produce fuel for diesel engines.

UCO-based biodiesel aligns well with the European Commission’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED), which covers GHG emissions, biodiversity and carbon stock. Under this directive, used cooking oil and some tallows are classified as ‘waste vegetable and animal oil’. Their use in FAME production is deemed to yield carbon savings of 83%.

Feedstock Industry Partner Associations

ISCC Logo small

International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) is a certification system for sustainability, traceability and GHG emission savings. Its goal is to facilitate and improve the various aspects of sustainability in biomass value chains. Targray first obtained its ISCC certification in 2014, and has been a corporate member of ISCC System since 2019.

American Fats and Oils Association logo

The American Fats and Oils Association (AFOA) is a non-profit organization focused on fostering trade and commerce within the United States and throughout the world for animal, fish, and vegetable fats, oils, and protein. The AFOA works to promote uniformity and certainty in the standards of such products and in the customs and usages of the trade.

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