29-08-2012
Neste Oil completes the first phase of its microbial oil pilot plant
Neste Oil has completed the first phase of its project to build a pilot plant for producing microbial oil. Construction of the plant is on-schedule and on-budget. The first phase will enable the growth of oil-producing micro-organisms, and the following phases will concentrate on raw material pretreatment and oil recovery. The goal is to develop the technology so that it is capable of yielding commercial volumes of microbial oil for use as a feedstock for NExBTL renewable diesel. Commercial-scale production is expected by 2015 at the earliest. "Work on the pilot plant has progressed according to plan and the technology has performed excellently," according to Petri Lehmus, Neste Oil's Vice President, Research and Development. "The plant is already generating microbial oil containing biomass, which is a great achievement." The pilot plant is expected to be fully complete in the second half of 2012 and represents an investment of approx. EUR 8 million by Neste Oil.
Waste and residues as inputs The technology is designed to produce feedstock for NExBTL renewable diesel by using yeast and fungi to convert sugars from waste and residues into oil highly efficiently. It utilizes bioreactors similar to those used in the biotech and brewing industries. A wide range of different waste and residue materials can be used, such as straw and sidestreams from the pulp and paper industry, which makes feedstock optimization possible. "Extending our feedstock base is a central component of our cleaner traffic strategy," continues Petri Lehmus, "and our aim is to focus on making use of waste and residues with the smallest possible carbon footprint for producing our renewable fuels. The new microbial oil pilot plant will make a very valuable contribution to achieving these goals."
Europe's first microbial oil pilot plant
Microbial oil technology represents an attractive option, both because of its efficiency and its sustainability. Neste Oil has carried out pioneering research in the field and has applied for a number of patents covering its microbial oil technology. A number of partners have been involved in this work, including Aalto University.
"Our microbial oil pilot plant is the first of its kind in Europe, and Finnish research in the area is highly advanced worldwide," says Lehmus.
The pilot plant currently employs 10 people and a number of other people indirectly.
Neste Oil first announced its decision to invest in a plant dedicated to producing microbial oil on 15 December 2011.
News Category:
-
Beyond processbook & PI vision: Exploring today’s industrial analytics tools
(Webinar) - In the Manufacturing 4.0 era, industrial organizations have more data at their fingertips than ever, offering the promise of higher production rates, more ...
04-06-2024
-
Worley awarded Bayou Bend CCS carbon capture and storage facility contract
We’ve been selected to design and evaluate CO2 gathering, handling and sequestration facilities located along the Gulf Coast in Southeast Texas. Bayou Bend ...
13-05-2024
-
Black & Veatch delivers feasibility study for Andes Energy LNG Terminal
Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure solutions leader Black & Veatch has completed a feasibility study for the planned Andes Energy Terminal, LNG regasification ...
09-05-2024
-
Shell to sell interest in Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park to CAPGC
Shell Singapore Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Shell plc, has reached an agreement to sell its Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore to CAPGC Pte. Ltd., a joint venture company ...
08-05-2024
-
Integrated Global Services recognized for role in mega turnaround
Integrated Global Services has been recognized as a major contributor to the successful Ras Tanura Refinery 2024 Mega Turnaround and Inspection for Saudi Arabian Energy ...
08-05-2024
-
BASF invests in capacity expansion of Basoflux® range of paraffin inhibitors
BASF plans to expand the global production capacity of its Basoflux® range of paraffin inhibitors at its site in Tarragona, Spain. This investment will enable BASF’s ...
07-05-2024
-
Ebara Elliott Energy to provide compressor for SAF project in Thailand
Ebara Elliott Energy, formerly Elliott Group, announces it has been contracted to provide a motor-driven recycle compressor with a variable frequency drive (VFD) for ...
07-05-2024
-
ETH Zurich select hte to provide high throughput test system designed for CO2 electroreduction
hte – the high throughput experimentation company was awarded a contract by the technical university ETH Zurich to provide a high throughput test system designed for ...
07-05-2024
-
TotalEnergies and Sinopec strengthen cooperation
On the occasion of the state visit to France by the President of the People's Republic of China, TotalEnergies, represented by Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO, and ...
07-05-2024
-
IPP enters agreement to market ammonia, methanol and melamine plants in Ludwigshafen
BASF and International Process Plants (IPP), a global leader in the acquisition and sale of process plants and equipment, have entered an agreement to market ammonia, ...
06-05-2024