Evaluating the role of the appropriate catalysts on the efficacy of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil

Concerns over the rapidly depleting sources of energy have led to the need of acquiring alternative sources that are renewable and sustainable. Biodiesel has come under the spotlight as an alternative energy source that is nontoxic, can reduce the emission level of pollutants, and most importantly be produced from cheap sources. Waste cooking oil has proven to be a promising cheap and available source for biodiesel production. However, the choice of the proper catalyst for efficient production of biodiesel from cooking oil remain the key challenge. In this review, we discuss the transesterification of waste cooking oil to biodiesel using different catalysts. Mainly, focusing on homogeneous catalysts and heterogeneous catalysts for this process.