Andrew Ponec
January 8, 2026
This Dubai-based company turns used cooking oil into biofuels
This video is part of: Centre for Energy and Materials
It could help meet the region’s growing demand for more sustainable fuels. Lootah Biofuels pays local businesses for their waste cooking oil. Business owners arrange collection via a mobile app.
Lootah Biofuels, a Dubai-based company, is addressing the region's demand for sustainable fuels by collecting used cooking oil from local businesses.
Through a mobile app, businesses arrange collection, and Lootah currently gathers 500,000 liters of used oil monthly.
Lootah Biofuels: Environmental benefits of biodiesel
Biodiesel boasts a 74% smaller carbon footprint than diesel due to its plant-based origin. However, its limited supply makes it ideal for hard-to-electrify sectors like shipping, prompting
Lootah Biofuels to advocate for biofuel mandates in the UAE, similar to those in the US and EU.
The UAE's energy transition efforts
The UAE has set ambitious goals for clean energy. The country aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and is committed to increasing the clean energy share of its energy mix to 30% by 2030.
This ambition is reflected in global trends - for every $1 spent on fossil fuels, $1.70 is now invested in clean energy, compared to a 1:1 ratio just five years ago.
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