Kyushu, JAPAN – An open-air sightseeing train located in the town of Takachiho in Kyushu, Japan started running on biofuel composed of old cooking oil and ramen soup lard on August 1.
The development of this biofuel came from the transportation company Nishida Shoun. According to The Mainichi, discarded tempura oil is mixed with lard from uneaten ramen soup in a 9:1 ratio, then refined with some chemicals to produce the more environment-friendly oil that does not emit black smoke.
Takachiho Amaterasu Railway Company observed that the train engines still worked smoothly even when going uphill while utilizing the biofuel during the test runs, and unlike when running on diesel fuel, there was no strong smell of exhaust gas. Instead, the scent of stir-fried oil was emitted, like that of a Chinese restaurant’s. The cost of the new type of fuel was reported to be almost the same as that of diesel’s.