Biofuel made from roadkill, cardboard café, wheat straw transformed to isobutene, 3D printed biobricks, algae plastic, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of April 25th

#5 From UCO to sunflowers and hemp oil, Pacific Biodiesel focuses on the future

In Hawaii, Pacific Biodiesel has moved beyond its origins of biodiesel made from used cooking oil to sourcing sustainable crops like jatropha, safflower, kukui, and soybean, and even the excess or imperfect macadamia nuts grown locally that are often thrown away. But those alternative feedstocks are not being used for biofuels but for the beauty and cosmetic industry.

Pacific Biodiesel started Maiden Hawaii Naturals to produce macadamia oils for cosmetic manufacturers to use in hair and skin products as well as culinary oils for chefs. Pacific Biodiesel also launched their own company, Kuleana Beauty, which makes cleansers, sunscreen, and oils from macadamia nuts, kukui, avocado, coconut, and sunflower.

They are also now growing their own sunflowers to source their own oil directly and are planning to launch their own hemp-growing business to produce hemp oil as well.
More on the story, here.