Argent Energy, a European biofuels manufacturer, opened Europe's largest technical-grade glycerine plant in the Amsterdam port area on Friday, September 27. The glycerine plant will upgrade by-products of the biodiesel production process to a product suitable for wide use in the chemical industry, according to the Port of Amsterdam's release.
Argent's current plant, also located in the Amsterdam port area, produces biodiesel from certified waste and residue streams, with crude glycerine as a by-product. Argent's new plant can convert crude glycerine produced into 99.7% pure glycerine. The new glycerine refinery is part of Argent’s expansion of its biodiesel facility, which will create 30 new jobs once complete.
The plant can produce 50,000 tonnes of glycerine per year. And offers chemical producers with a replacement for several petrochemicals, giving industries the opportunity to embrace a circular economy and reduce their reliance on fossil fuel-derived feedstocks. Argent’s refined glycerine is suitable for the production of epichlorohydrin, a key component in the creation of epoxy resins, among many other applications.
Argent Energy continues to scale up its operations and decarbonisation efforts, with plans to soon triple biofuel production at its Amsterdam site alone. The new glycerine refinery includes full distillation and polishing techniques to achieve the high-purity product, with dedicated tanks, pipelines, and loading bays to avoid cross-contamination.