One of North America's largest biodiesel and renewable diesel producers, Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG), has announced that it will install a state-of-the-art feedstock pretreatment facility in Germany, enabling the company to refine some of the lowest carbon intensity, hardest to convert waste fats and oils for bio-based diesel production.
The project is located on the North Sea harbor of Emden, Germany at the border to the Netherlands, and will enhance REG Emden and REG Oeding’s ability to produce renewable fuel from a wider variety of feedstocks, including ‘Generation 3’ advanced feedstocks as defined under the EU Renewable Energy Directive II.
This strategic upgrade will enable the company to continue to expand the company’s strong global sourcing and trading position, produce more deeply decarbonized fuel, and better serve European customers seeking to accelerate their transition to cleaner energy.
This strategic investment expands our already wide selection of feedstock options that we run at Emden and Oeding today and qualifies us to better serve the growing demand for low carbon fuel options in Europe. Upgrading our German production sites with our proprietary technology will position us well for the future, build on our supply assurance and empower us to further reduce the carbon intensity of the renewable fuels we produce, said CJ Warner, President & CEO of REG.
The RED II policy incentivizes waste and advanced feedstocks as Europe continues to emphasize decarbonization efforts. REG currently produces approximately 50 million (US) gallons, or 167 000 tonnes per annum of biodiesel at its two German biorefineries, delivering carbon reduction impact in Europe, notably with on-road transportation and maritime customers.
REG will continue to build on our track record of delivering high-quality fuels and being a trusted partner to waste producers seeking reliable offtake. As customers and suppliers demand more sustainable business practices, we are well-positioned to play a key role in the circular supply chain, said Raymond Richie, VP, and Managing Director, International Business, REG.
EPC selected
REG acquired the bio-based diesel plants in Germany in 2017 and has since opened a global trading office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands for sourcing feedstocks and selling co-products and fuels.
REG has all required permits for construction and the project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023 with start-up by year-end.
REG has selected Austrian technology supplier BDI- BioEnergy International GmbH as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner.
With our innovative RetroFit program, we are taking the two biodiesel plants to a completely new technical and economic level. The result is unique raw material flexibility, maximum plant availability, and a measurably valuable contribution to the circular economy and CO2 reduction, said Markus Dielacher, CEO at BDI-BioEnergy International.
