SUPPORTING GROWTH: Evonik expanded sodium methylate production in Mobile, Alabama, to help support the demand for catalyst as the U.S. biodiesel industry grows. PHOTO: EVONIK CORP.
duction at its 160 MMgy renewable diesel facility in Norco to 275 MMgy. The project includes expanded outbound logistics for servicing the many developing low-carbon fuel markets in North America and globally. Completion is expected late 2017, with production to ramp-up in early 2018. The plant is operating at full capacity throughout the expansion excluding minimal downtime for final tie-ins. After years of rework, Flint Hills Resources and Benefuel Inc. started commercial biodiesel production at Duonix LLC, the 50 MMgy plant formerly known as Beatrice Biodiesel in Nebraska. It’s the first commercial-scale application of Benefuel’s Ensel technology, a solid acid catalyst process capable of converting a range of lower-cost feedstocks into biodiesel. The multiyear project included an upgraded, backend distillation process. “The start of production at Duonix Beatrice is a major milestone and a significant step toward demonstrating the commercial viability of the Ensel technology,” says Rob Tripp, CEO of Benefuel. “The key question has been whether the technology can be scaled up and applied to a large production facility, so we’re very pleased to be able to say that production at Duonix Beatrice is now underway and the results are very encouraging. We believe this provides us with a strong base to grow additional production within the U.S. and worldwide.” Crimson Renewable Energy LP in Bakersfield, California, showcased its newly upgraded and expanded biodiesel plant in October. The expansion tripled production on-site to 24 MMgy, the company says, and upgrades performed by Austria-based biodiesel technology
provider BDI-BioEnergy International AG included expansion of steam and other existing systems, as well as the installation of new second-generation systems, which will enable the plant to reduce unit energy and water consumption by up to 15 percent. The plant is producing ultra-low carbon biodiesel made entirely from used cooking oils and other inedible raw materials, says Harry Simpson, Crimson’s president and CEO. BDI’s RetroFit program includes raw material preparation, esterification of feedstock with high free fatty acid (FFA) content, and biodiesel and glycerin distillation. “The excellent cooperation of the project teams of Crimson and BDI led to a smooth, fast workflow resulting in a successful commissioning of our newly expanded biodiesel plant,” Simpson says. BDI Chief Sales Officer Edgar Ahn says with the completion of this project, BDI strengthens its presence in the U.S. biodiesel market. “Our internationally successful retrofit program helped our customer to update its existing plant to the latest technology,” says Ahn. High Plains Bioenergy, a subsidiary of Seaboard Foods, celebrated the grand opening of its newly acquired 28 MMgy biodiesel plant in October, HPB-St. Joe Biodiesel, located in St. Joseph, Missouri. The plant was formerly known as Blue Sun Biodiesel and was converted to enzymatic processing in 2013. Including its Guymon, Oklahoma, plant, HPB’s total biodiesel production capacity is now approximately 60 MMgy. Louis Dreyfus Company LLC inaugurated its new glycerin refinery at its subsidiary’s soybean crushing and biodiesel plant in Claypool, www.BiodieselMagazine.com
17