Netherlands’ Delfzijl will soon be witnessing one of its conventional methanol plant being converted to producing biomethanol – an alternative energy producing fuel for the cause of combating emissions, and in turn global warming.
With the help of a Dutch consortium doing so, the plant will produce an estimated 1 billion liters (264 million gallons US) of biomethanol per year! This production, in turn, will be directed to address the European Union’s need for a 5.75% biofuel component by 2010.
With the rise in bio-diesel production, the prices of glycerol have dropped due to its increasing supply. And, the plant will use a new process for making bio-methanol from glycerine — a byproduct of bio-diesel production. Blending it directly into gasoline, biomethanol can serve as a substitute for MTB.
Paul Hamm, temporary CEO of BioMethanol Chemie Holding said,
The plant will be started up as soon as possible, initially producing fossil methanol as before. Modifications will be carried out over the next nine months, turning the plant into the world’s first bio-methanol plant. In the first phase, it will produce 100 kT [100 million liters] bio-methanol, a capacity that will be increased substantially in the following phases.
