Diamond Green Diesel to boost renewable diesel capacity 80% to 18,000 bpd; Honeywell UOP Ecofining technology
17 March 2017
Honeywell announced that the Diamond Green Diesel facility in Norco, La., will expand its annual production capacity of renewable diesel from up to 10,000 barrels per day (about 130 million gallons per year) to 18,000 bpd, using Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining process technology (earlier post). Diamond Green Diesel, which is owned by Valero Energy Corp. and Darling Ingredients Inc., is the largest commercial advanced biofuel facility in the United States. The company plans to complete the expansion in the second quarter of 2018.
The Diamond Green Diesel facility converts inedible oils and other waste feedstocks to produce Honeywell Green Diesel, a high-quality renewable fuel. Renewable diesel produced using the Ecofining process is chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel; it can be blended in any proportion with EN590 or ASTM 975 diesel. It also features up to an 80% lifecycle reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with diesel from petroleum.
Fuel produced at the facility is qualified as “Biomass-Based Diesel,” an Advanced Biofuel under the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires a minimum volume of transportation fuels sold in the US to contain renewable fuel as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Diamond Green Diesel started production in 2013 using Ecofining technology to produce Honeywell Green Diesel.
Honeywell UOP jointly developed the Ecofining process with Eni SpA. It converts non-edible natural oils and animal fats to Honeywell Green Diesel, which offers improved performance over biodiesel and petroleum-based diesel. It features a cetane value of 80, compared with a cetane range of 40 to 60 found in diesel at the pump today.
Cetane values indicate how quickly and completely diesel fuel will burn. Higher-cetane diesel fuel provides better engine performance with fewer emissions. High-cetane diesel can be blended with cheaper low-cetane diesel to meet transportation standards. Honeywell Green Diesel also offers excellent performance at cold or warm temperatures.
The expansion of the Diamond Green Diesel facility is a testament to the viability and growth potential of renewable fuels. The technology and commercial potential of the Ecofining process have been proven, and the best evidence is the company’s decision to invest in expanded production capacity.
—Dave Cepla, senior director of Honeywell UOP’s Renewable Energy and Chemicals business
In addition to Ecofining technology, Honeywell has commercialized the UOP Renewable Jet Fuel Process, which originally was developed under a contract with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to produce renewable jet fuel for the US military. (Earlier post.) Honeywell Green Jet Fuel produced by this process technology can be blended seamlessly with petroleum-based fuel. When used in up to a 50% blend with petroleum-based jet fuel, Honeywell Green Jet Fuel requires no changes to aircraft technology and meets all critical specifications for flight.
Honeywell UOP also is a partner with Ensyn Corp. in Envergent Technologies LLC, which offers RTP rapid thermal processing technology and equipment for the production of renewable heat, power and transportation fuels. (Earlier post.)
inedible oils
Neste HPR is made with palm oil used in making soap.
Posted by: SJC | 17 March 2017 at 01:31 PM
Dumb idea. Clean diesel is like clean coal...no such thing. There are always byproducts when you burn carbon fuel in the atmosphere and smog and climate change are real. Electric cars don't burn carbon fuel. So stop wasting money on Internal Explosion Engines.
Posted by: Lad | 17 March 2017 at 02:18 PM
Will this process ever scale into useful fuel volume or not? I.C.E. transport will be around for a very longtime. Electric car sale volumes will only grow very slowly over many decades into the future. E-cars have great marketing by some companies, but show me the sales numbers instead. Cool it on the climate change issue already, I get it and don't really care about it.
Posted by: Otto Dagger | 17 March 2017 at 04:02 PM
Reform HPR for PEM fuel cells, bio CO2 and no combustion pollution.
Posted by: SJC | 18 March 2017 at 11:33 AM
Start a diesel price war and lower sale tax on synthetic diesel to help climate change and pollution and im interested to buy a small diesel car. Do volkswagen offer special on basic diesel car that might satisfied the norms with this high cetane diesel.
Posted by: gorr | 21 March 2017 at 08:09 AM