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Vertoro wins grant to build a lignin biorefinery in the Port of Rotterdam

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Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF. Vertoro has announced that its “Goldilocks by sea” proposal won a REACT-EU grant (2 M€) to co-finance all engineering, permitting and ground works activities for a 250 ktons/year biorefinery in the Port of Rotterdam. LinkedIn post , 24/06/2021. Related posts: - “ Sainc Energy plans to build an advanced biorefinery in Andalusia ”, 13/09/2018. - “ Sekab and Vertoro to build a demo biorefinery to produce a new platform for sustainable fuels, chemicals and materials ”, 11/03/2020. Figure 1. Goldilocks oil (taken from Vertoro website) This biorefinery will convert industrial wood residues like sawdust into some 50,000 tons of cellulosic ethanol, alongside roughly 125,000 tons of lignin-based Goldilocks crude oil. The crude has multiple applications including its use as a gasifier- and cracker feedstock as well as a marine fuel. GEM (Goldilocks Enriched Methanol) offers a lower average price per calorie and improves important combustio...
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Biobased 1,4-butanediol (BDO)

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Versión en Español Type of post: Fact sheet. Series: Biobased chemicals – Alcohols. Publication date: 01/06/2021. Last update: 11/06/2021. Description - Diol with 4 carbon atoms. - It is a colourless, viscous liquid. Applications - In the presence of phosphoric acid and high temperature, it dehydrates to the tetrahydrofuran (THF), which is used in various industrial applications such as a solvent in pharmaceuticals. Half of the BDO consumption is used for production of THF. - The second largest market for BDO is the synthesis of γ-butyrolactone (GBL). GBL is used in industrial cleaning products and in the production of Methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and 2-pyrrolidone. - Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is produced by polymerising terephthalic acid and BDO. PBT is an engineering plastic is used in a wide range of applications, mainly in electrical and automotive component. Conventional petrochemical routes (1) - Reppe process (acetylene): 42% of global capacity. - Davy Process (maleic anhyd...
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Biobased acrylic acid

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Versión en Español Type of post: Fact sheet. Series: Biobased chemicals – Organic acids. Publication date: 05/05/2021. Last update: 05/05/2021. Description - Organic acid with 3 carbon atoms. - It is a clear, colourless, corrosive liquid with a characteristic acrid or tart smell. - Other names: prop-2-enoic acid. Applications - Formation of homopolymers or copolymers which are used in the manufacture of various adhesives, coatings, diapers, detergents, paints, plastics and textiles. The main use of crude acrylic acid is the generation of acrylate esters, followed by the production of polyacrylic acid, used mostly in superabsorbent polymers. - Chemical intermediate in multiple industrial processes. Conventional petrochemical route - Cracking of fossil naphtha to produce propylene / Oxidation of propylene. Main biobased routes - [3-HPA via] Fermentation of sugars to produce 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HPA) / Dehydration of 3-HPA. - [Biobased naphtha via] Cracking of biobased naphth...
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Topsoe’s HydroFlex and H2bridge technologies selected by Tidewater for its renewable diesel biorefinery in Canada

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Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS. Tidewater Midstream and Infrastructure Ltd. (Tidewater) will utilize Topsoe ’s HydroFlex and H2bridge technologies to produce approximately 3,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel. Press releases: - “ Tidewater Midstream and Infrastructure Ltd. Provides an update on renewable energy initiatives ”, 11/03/2021. - “ Tidewater chooses Topsoe’s HydroFlex™ and H2bridge™ technologies for renewable diesel production ”, 15/04/2021. Related posts: - “ KLM, SkyNRG and SHV to build the first European dedicated biorefinery for sustainable aviation fuel ”, 29/05/2019. - “ Haldor Topsoe’s HydroFlex technology selected by GCEH for its renewable diesel biorefinery in Bakersfield ”, 22/06/2020. - “ CVR Energy to revamp existing hydrocracker for renewable diesel production with Haldor Topsoe’s HydroFlex technology ”, 03/02/2021. Figure 1. Topsoe’s HydroFlex and H2bridge technologies selected by Tidewater for its renewable diesel biorefinery in Canada (taken...
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Hydrotreating (HVO) – Concepts, feedstocks and specifications

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Versión en Español Section: ADVANCED BIOFUELS Series: HVO - Hydrotreating (HVO) – Concepts, feedstocks and specifications - Hydrotreating (HVO) – Advantages over FAME and properties - Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils (HVO) Biorefineries – The rise of renewable diesel - Posts: HVO                The acronym HVO stands for “ Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils ” or ” Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils ”. Key of the process: Treatment with hydrogen. In the HVO production process, hydrogen is used to remove the oxygen from the triglycerides producing a mix of linear paraffins, CO 2 and water. Then, the product of the first stage is isomerized, always in presence of hydrogen, in order to branch the linear chains for improving the cold flow properties of the final products. Thus, HVO are mixtures of paraffinic hydrocarbons, free of sulphur and aromatics and with a very high cetane number. The hydrocarbons...
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