Leading German biodiesel producer Verbio’s has announced that work on its new rapeseed oil methyl ester-based ethenolysis plant in Bitterfeld is progressing with the completed construction of the first distillation column.
Scheduled to become operational in 2026, large quantities of renewable molecules for the chemical industry – suitable for use in detergents and cleaning agents, and high-performance lubricants for engines and plastics – would be produced at the site, the company said.
“The first milestone of the new Verbio plant has been achieved. Due to its size, the distillation column was manufactured in two parts on site,” Verbio head of specialty chemicals and catalysts, Dr Andreas Kohl, said on 23 January.
Used for the preparation of the raw ester from the biodiesel plant prior to further processing in the ethenolysis process, liquids are heated at the bottom of the distillation column and can be separated due to their different boiling points, a process essential for chemical production.
“The raw material for production [at the plant] is certified, sustainably-produced rapeseed oil. Initially, we use this to manufacture biodiesel. This is then converted into renewable speciality chemicals using … catalysts from XiMo, our wholly-owned Verbio subsidiary,” Dr Kohl said.
Using ethenolysis, Verbio produces bio-based speciality chemicals methyl 9-decenoate (9-DAME) and 1-decene, which can be used as key components in a range of applications. A component of detergents and cleaning agents, 9-DAME is used as a raw material for lubricants and polymers while 1-decene is used in lubricants for modern engines, gearboxes and wind turbines.
The company said it also had plans to produce additional speciality chemicals for use in pharmaceutical or cosmetic products.
The Bitterfeld plant would have a manufacturing capacity of 32,000 tonnes/year of 9-DAME and 17,000 tonnes/year of 1-decene, and the aim was to manufacture a total of 60,000 tonnes/year of renewable products for the chemical industry, Verbio said.
As well as biodiesel, Verbio also produces bioethanol and other products and is active in Germany, and in Canada, Hungary, India, Poland and the USA through its subsidiaries, according to its website.
