New development in sustainable diesel production

A new technology that converts biogas into a high-grade liquid fuel that can be used as a direct replacement for fossil fuels was recently showcased for the first time at Alliance Dairies in Florida, US.  The process, developed by UK-based technology company Renovare Fuels, allows biogas from waste material to be used as a direct replacement for traditional fossil fuels. The production process is carbon neutral, and offers a practical solution to the growing problem of greenhouse gases, says the company.

‘There has been a significant push to recycle plastic and paper products over the past two decades, but we aren’t seeing the same push to reuse biodegradable waste like food-waste and agricultural materials,’ explains Devin Walker, CTO at Renovare Fuels. ‘That leaves a lot of potential fuel sources lying in landfills. Processes like anaerobic digestion (AD) can be used to produce fuels, but the overall process hasn’t previously been particularly efficient. By using a specially developed Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst and advanced process engineering techniques, Renovare Fuels’ technology can efficiently turn biogas into middle distillate fuel. The feedstock is sourced locally to the site and classified as a waste product, so the production cycle is objectively carbon neutral.’

He continues: ‘We estimated using the greenhouse gas methodology in the EU’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) that the entire logistical supply chain, from feedstock collection to storage and refuelling, would produce only 3 grammes of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule of biomass. This is only 3% of the 94 grammes it would be using fossil fuels.’

The abundance of waste products means that the production of the biodiesel promises a low-cost sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. The company believes that the fuel could be priced at under 50 p/l.

‘In 2016, DEFRA reported that 31.8mn tonnes of biodegradable waste is produced each year in the UK,’ comments Walker. ‘Based on this figure, we estimate that our technology and the resultant fuel could displace over 2bn litres of fossil fuels annually. This would lower greenhouse gas emissions by around 5mn t/y.

The fuel produced using the Renovare technology is reported to be distinct from typical biodiesel products in that it is physically and chemically similar to conventional fossil fuels, allowing it to be used in engines without requiring design modifications.

Renovare CTO Devin Walker, standing in front of demonstration unit
Photo: Renvare Fuels