A National Taiwan University (NTU) research team has successfully developed a biodiesel production system the size of a backpack. Led by Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Chiang Ya-Yu (蔣雅郁), the team pioneered a "spiral coil separation technology" that was featured on the cover of top international journal Green Chemistry.

Chiang points out that traditional processes are lengthy, water-intensive, and require bulky equipment, but the team overcame these challenges using a Corning microreactor and a world-first "spiral coil liquid-liquid phase separator." Requiring only a small amount of space, they achieved a biodiesel yield of up to 91.14%, with high-quality diesel and an acid value exceeding national standards.

Mechanical Engineering doctoral student and team member Yang Cheng-you (楊承祐) stated that this system is like a convenience store coffee machine, allowing for decentralized deployment. He envisions a future where roadside stalls have small systems converting waste cooking oil or vegetable oil into biodiesel for use in diesel generators.

Chiang stated that they are currently collaborating with CPC Corporation and hope to move towards commercialization. Energy resilience is a critical issue for Taiwan, where disasters can easily cause large-scale supply disruptions. Miniaturized systems can reduce reliance on large chemical plants, extending energy supply from a fragile centralized network to every corner that needs electricity. As long as cooking oil is readily available, it can be converted into biodiesel for power generation.