New
enzyme technology converts waste oils into biodiesel
Novozymes'
latest offering secures flexible feedstock selection and lower operational
costs for biodiesel producers.
COPENHAGEN,
DENMARK – December 2, 2014 - Today, Novozymes announced the launch of Novozymes
Eversa®, the first commercially available enzymatic solution to make biodiesel
from waste oils. The enzymatic
process converts used cooking oil
or other lower grade oils
into biodiesel. Biodiesel producers can thereby reduce their raw material
costs. The resulting biodiesel is sold to the same trade specification as
biodiesel created through traditional chemical processing.
A solution that loves free fatty acids
Growing
demand for vegetable oil
in the food industry has resulted in increased prices, causing biodiesel
producers to search for alternative – and more sustainable – feedstocks. Most
of the oils currently used
are sourced from soybeans, palm or rapeseed, and typically contain less than
0.5% free fatty acids (FFA). Existing biodiesel process designs have difficulty
handling oils containing
more than 0.5% FFA, meaning that waste oils with high FFAs have not been a
viable feedstock option until now.
"The
idea of enzymatic biodiesel is not new, but the costs involved have been too
high for commercial viability," says Frederik Mejlby, marketing director
for Novozymes' Grain Processing division. "Eversa changes this and enables
biodiesel producers to finally work with waste oils and enjoy feedstock
flexibility to avoid the pinch of volatile pricing." Eversa can work with
a broad range of fatty materials as feedstock, but initial focus has been on
used cooking oil, DDGS corn oil and fatty acid distillates.
Better process economy
Making
the change from a chemical catalyst to the enzymatic process requires
retrofitting in existing plants. Biodiesel producers looking to utilize Eversa
will therefore have to invest time and resources to make the switch to the
enzymatic process. Novozymes' engineering partners estimate that the resulting
improved process economy indicates a payback time of three years or less,
depending on the plant setup and feedstock savings potential in that region.
"The
enzymatic process uses less energy, and the cost of waste oil as a feedstock
is significantly lower than refined oils," says Frederik Mejlby. "A
small number of plants have been producing biodiesel from waste oils using
existing technologies. But this has not been cost-efficient until now, broadly
speaking, as the waste oils
have had to be refined before being processed using chemicals. We hope that our
technology can unleash more of the potential in these lower grade
feedstocks."
Safer and more sustainable
The
enzymatic process eliminates the need for sodium methoxide, one of the most
hazardous chemicals in traditional biodiesel plants. The radical reduction of
harsh chemicals and by-products ensures safety for both personnel and the
environment.
"Switching
to Eversa can lead to a safer working environment for plant operators. The
enzymatic process does not use high pressure or high temperature," says
Frederik Mejlby. "And when it comes to the actual enzymes, their organic
nature and mild process conditions do not generate toxic components as in some
chemical biodiesel processes."
About Novozymes
Novozymes
is the world leader in bioinnovation. Together with customers across a broad
array of industries we create tomorrow's industrial biosolutions, improving our
customers' business and the use of our planet's resources. With over 700
products used in 130 countries, Novozymes' bioinnovations improve industrial
performance and safeguard the world's resources by offering superior and
sustainable solutions for tomorrow's ever-changing marketplace. Read more at www.novozymes.com.
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