Cleaner Biodiesel Production Technology from Hybrid Feedstock Via Transesterification Process Optimization

: Increase in energy demand, global warming and environmental threat has incited the global concern on the consequences of fossil fuels over-exploitation and depletion. The thrust into new and hybrid renewable and sustainable energy supply is therefore a promising step to address this situation. The commercialization of biodiesel as an indigenous fuel is impeded by the lack of readily available feedstock, as different feedstock kinds with differing qualities might be found in different places. This study investigates the possibility of green based heterogeneous catalyst obtained from the mixture of banana and avocado waste fruit peels in transesterification of ternary-hybrid oil of used frying oil, marula and linseed oil (UFO/MSO/LO, 3:1:1). The characterization of the calcined catalyst at 600 o C using EDS, and SEM, indicated that it exhibits high amount of potassium. The optimization of the important variables (such as catalyst amount, molar ratio of methanol to oil, and reaction time) of the process was done using the central composite design (CCD). The ideal conditions instituted by the CCD were the process reaction time of 50 min, molar ratio (methanol/hybrid oil) of 14.7:1, and catalyst amount of 2.5 wt% with the experimental yield of 98.7 %. The significance of the generated model was ascertained using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 95% confidence level with the probability value (  = 0.05) and the determination coefficient (R 2 = 0.9899). The fuel characteristics of the biodiesel obtained were all within gratifying norms as specified by ASTM D6751, and EN 14214, SANS 1935:2011. The study demonstrates that feedstock hybridization is a viable strategy for addressing the challenges of feedstock supplementation and exploration for biodiesel development.