A new processing plant will be turning waste oil and animal fat into biodiesel using a new technology that can work with a variety of feedstock. Sanimax Energy of DeForest, Wisconsin, is using processing technology from Nova Biosource Fuel that is agnostic to the feedstock -- used vegetable oil, soy oil, canola oil or animal fat, according to Biodiesel Magazine.

Free-fatty-acid is more difficult for biodiesel plants to process because of the soap byproduct that must be removed. Being able to process any type of feedstock would accelerate the growth of the biodiesel industry since plants would not have to be customized.

Biodiesel and ethanol are likely to come from a variety of sources and making the production process as uniform as possible is critical. Restaurant grease and animal fat are advantageous since they don't require growing additional crops. More initiatives for collecting restaurant waste such as what is being done in California would likely spring up once processors have reliable technology.