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Story: Energy supply and use

Canola oil-powered 4WD

Canola oil-powered 4WD

Paul Henson, shown here in 2006 filling his 4WD vehicle, had driven 12,000 kilometres using canola oil and just a touch of diesel. A $1000 conversion kit and waste oil from a local restaurant got him fuel for 50 cents a litre that was far less polluting than fossil diesel or petrol. Commercially produced biodiesel can be made from milk, tallow or plants like canola. New Zealand-grown canola biodiesel produces 42% less greenhouse gas than that of fossil diesel. The energy content is similar: 1.08 kilograms of canola biodiesel has the same energy content as 1 kilogram of fossil diesel.

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New Zealand Herald

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by Paul Estcourt

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How to cite this page

Megan Cook, Energy supply and use – Renewable energy, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/24006/canola-oil-powered-4wd (accessed 5 June 2026).

Story by Megan Cook, published 12 April 2010.

Comments

Paul Henson
07 April 2014
I've now done 170,000 kms up to this date of April 2014, mainly (95%) on waste canola oil, at an average saving of $1 / litre (over diesel). I start up and shut down on diesel (to warm the radiator which heats the oil so it can combust, and to clear the injectors on shut-down). Savings over this time around $17,000. The cost of the install was in fact $2,000 but the canola cruiser has saved me $15,000. Consumption is around 10 km per litre.