UK-headed biofuels producer Argent Energy Group, a subsidiary of John Swire & Sons Ltd, has held the official launch of Europe’s largest facility dedicated to producing bio-based, technical-grade glycerine at its Port of Amsterdam site in the Netherlands.
The new state-of-the-art refinery will upgrade crude glycerine, a by-product of Argent’s waste-based biodiesel process, into 99.7 percent pure technical-grade glycerine.
This development, set to produce 50,000 tonnes of bio-based glycerine per annum, provides chemical producers, for which glycerine is an important product, with an opportunity to use a bio-based alternative that gives clear environmental benefits over conventional options.
Suitable for a wide range of technical applications, Argent Energy’s bio-based glycerine offers a petrochemicals replacement enabling industries to embrace a circular economy and reduce their reliance on fossil fuel-derived feedstocks.
We are delighted to officially launch the new glycerine refinery as part of our expansion to our biodiesel facility in the port of Amsterdam, which will create over 30 new jobs once complete. Our entrance into the chemical market is driven by our goal to maximize product value and support the circular economy. By upgrading glycerine from our processes into a technical-grade product, we’re giving the chemical industry a bio-based option they can confidently use in their own products, said Louise Calviou, CEO of Argent Energy at the launch.
Fully certified by-product
The glycerine is made from the biodiesel production process.
The new glycerine refinery includes full distillation and polishing techniques to achieve a high-purity product, with dedicated tanks, pipelines, and loading bays to avoid cross-contamination.
Fully certified under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC), the product is fully traceable, ensuring the highest sustainability standards.
The Port of Amsterdam is proud of this sustainable initiative by Argent Energy in the Amsterdam port area. The opening of the glycerine plant is a big step towards a circular economy where by-products are upgraded to a new technical-grade product. This fits perfectly into our strategy to be a leading European seaport, focusing on the transition to a sustainable society, said Roon van Maanen, Director of Energy and Circular Industry at Port of Amsterdam.
Plans to triple production in Amsterdam
Argent Energy currently produces over 190,000 tonnes of waste-based biodiesel per annum supplying it to international markets for road transport, marine, and power generation.
The company continues to scale up its operations and decarbonization efforts, with plans to soon triple biofuel production at its Amsterdam site alone.
The province of North Holland wants to be fully circular by 2050. I am therefore proud of companies like Argent that invest in the port and contribute to the raw materials transition. The province will support companies in their journey to circular entrepreneurship, now and in the future, said Esther Rommel, Provincial Executive Member for Spatial Development, Economy, Ports, and Recreation in North Holland, who also officiated at the launch.
