From Fryer to Flyer: Converting Used Cooking Oil into Sustainable Aviation Fuel

(Restaurant Technologies, Inc.) Industry-leading collaboration between Phillips 66 and Restaurant Technologies highlights work across the value chain to scale lower-carbon fuels -- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) starts in a place most people never expect: the deep fryer.

Phillips 66 and Restaurant Technologies, Inc. (RTI) have a long-term agreement to supply used cooking oil from U.S. restaurants to produce renewable fuels in California, strengthening supply for lower carbon fuel markets.

RTI supplies Phillips 66 with high quality, traceable, ISCC certified used cooking oil (UCO) to support renewable diesel and SAF production at the Phillips 66 Rodeo Renewable Energy Complex in California, one of the largest renewable fuels facilities in the world. The ISCC certification aligns with the United Nations Global Compact and recognizes that the company meets the highest standards for renewable feedstocks, greenhouse-gas reductions, and circular economy practices.

“This strategic agreement delivers feedstock optionality and reliable, domestic supply to support renewable fuels production at our Rodeo Renewable Energy Complex,” said Mark Hughes, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Phillips 66. “It underscores the strength of our Commercial organization and our ability to actively connect domestic supply with operations and customers for a more robust integrated value chain.”

RTI operates a closed loop automated cooking oil management solution that keeps used cooking oil clean, separated, and largely free from excess water, food waste, and other contaminants at the source. Compared with more traditional open collection systems, this approach produces a more consistent and higher quality feedstock that requires less pretreatment and increases the amount of usable fuel that can be produced.

“Quality starts in the kitchen,” said Ronald Cardwell, Director of Commodity Strategy at RTI. “Our system keeps impurities out, so more of every gallon we collect can be transformed into renewable fuel, which improves efficiency from collection to production.”

Once RTI collects used cooking oil from its network of more than 45,000 restaurants, hotels, casinos, colleges and other food service operations across 41 markets nationwide, the UCO, along with other waste-based feedstocks, is converted into renewable fuels at Phillips 66’s Rodeo Renewable Energy Complex. The UCO is first cleaned, then heated and combined with hydrogen to produce neat unblended SAF. The hydrogen and carbon atoms of the oil are rearranged into SAF hydrocarbons, which are blended and certified as renewable jet fuel meeting ASTM standards.

SAF can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional jet fuel. Those reductions can be measured, certified, and used for emissions reporting by customers. Once SAF is produced, the Phillips 66 Aviation team sells it to customers to help meet their decarbonization commitments.

“SAF is an investment in energy security because it diversifies aviation fuel supply options,” said Hughes. “The world needs all forms of energy, and Phillips 66 is uniquely positioned to provide both conventional and renewable fuels, which are supported by securing reliable feedstocks.”

Feedstocks create value by turning waste streams and renewable byproducts into useful energy inputs, supporting a broader feedstock ecosystem. By combining large scale renewable fuels production capability with a reliable supply of high-quality feedstock, this agreement highlights how everyday restaurant operations can help advance a lower-carbon energy system.

“Airlines and corporate customers need solutions they can use now, to support supply needs and decarbonization commitments,” Cardwell added. “This agreement demonstrates that the pieces are in place to scale high-quality feedstocks and renewable fuels production capability to make lower carbon flight more available and more achievable.”

To learn more about Restaurant Technologies and its sustainability work, please visit their media kit or the RTI sustainability page.

Restaurant Technologies is the leading provider of commercial kitchen solutions for more than 45,000 customers nationwide. Since 1999, its Total Oil Management solution helps “Control the Kitchen Chaos” for quick-service and full-service restaurant chains, independent restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, resorts, casinos, hospitals, and more. By automating the hardest tasks in the kitchen, Restaurant Technologies improves food quality, safety, and efficiency for its customers.

Total Oil Management eliminates the manual handling of cooking oil through an automated solution that delivers, stores, filters, monitors, and removes oil. Restaurant Technologies also works with renewable energy partners to recycle used cooking oil into renewable fuels for a more sustainable business.

Headquartered in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, Restaurant Technologies is privately held and operates 40 depots nationwide with more than 1,300 employees. For more information, visit www.rti-inc.com, or follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or X @RTIoil. READ MORE