Whey to Go: Turning a Cheese Byproduct into Fuel
Whey to go! Could the cheese byproduct heat our homes and fuel our cars?
- Level
- B2
- Estimated time
- 30–40 minutes
- Reading
- 1 min read
The story
Whey is the liquid left after cheese is made. British cheesemakers produce about 95,000 tonnes of salty whey each year. This byproduct is mostly water but also contains lactose, protein and some fat. Salty whey can be hard to dispose of because of its high salt content.
Researchers at Heriot-Watt University, working with a space tech company called Take Root Bio, have developed a bio-based process that uses sugars in whey to make fuel. Researchers may have come up with a solution. It may heat homes or fuel cars. The method aims to turn waste into useful energy rather than discarding it.
The idea is not entirely new. In 2021 the then Prince Charles ran his Aston Martin on bioethanol made from whey and surplus wine. At the same time, demand for whey-protein concentrate has risen and some suppliers have already sold out for the year, so whey is now more valuable than before.
Dr Jane White of Heriot-Watt says whey “still contain valuable components but can be challenging to manage”. Turning this cheese byproduct into fuel could help cheese makers and reduce pressure on the environment.
Key vocabulary
- whey
- The liquid left after milk curdles during cheese making.
- salty
- Containing a lot of salt.
- byproduct
- Something produced as a result of making another product.
- researchers
- People who study a subject to find new information.
- fuel
- A substance that produces energy for heating or transport.
- homes
- Places where people live; houses or apartments.
- protein
- A nutrient in food important for the body’s growth and repair.
- bioethanol
- A renewable alcohol fuel made from biological materials.
Comprehension check
Write your answer, reveal the model answer, then score yourself honestly.
1. What is whey?
2. How much salty whey do British cheesemakers produce each year?
3. Which institutions worked together on the bio-based process?
4. What possible uses of the new fuel are mentioned?
5. Why has whey become more valuable recently?
Grammar focus
May / Might for possibility
Use may or might to talk about possible situations or uncertainty. They often show that something is probable but not certain.
- Researchers may have come up with a solution.
- It may heat homes or fuel cars.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with may/might and the correct verb form (use the verb in brackets). Context words show the time or probability.
1. This year, researchers (come) ___ have come up with a solution.
2. So far, whey (heat) ___ may heat some homes.
3. Soon, fuel from whey (power) ___ may power cars.
4. Already, suppliers (sell) ___ may have sold out.
5. Possibly, whey (contain) ___ may contain lactose and protein.
Discussion
For reflection or speaking practice — not graded.
- Would you support using food industry byproducts for fuel? Why or why not?
- What are advantages and disadvantages of turning waste into energy?
- How could governments encourage companies to reuse byproducts like whey?
- Can you think of other everyday wastes that could become useful resources?