PUHI — When Dr. Adam Asquith started Kaua‘i Farm Fuels two years ago, it was “as a feel-good thing,” to help the environment, said partner Dennis Esaki.

When Esaki bought into the company more recently, he made it clear to Asquith that he expects the venture to make money.

By year’s end, it will, Esaki said.

The operation, which converts waste vegetable oil from island restaurants into diesel fuel, does divert substantial amounts of vegetable oil from the waste stream, and gives restaurant owners and operators legal ways of getting rid of what for them is a waste product and legal-disposal nightmare.

For the full story, see Saturday's print edition of The Garden Island. Check back at www.thegardenisland.com again Saturday evening for a preview of the local stories set to run in Sunday's newspaper.