Production of verbiodiesel
In accordance with European standard EN 14214, the feedstock used to make biodiesel is vegetable oil. At VERBIO, we chiefly use certified sustainable European rapeseed oil and fatty acids. We use nothing but fatty acids from biodiesel production and vegetable oil refining.
However, biodiesel is more than just vegetable oil – for only by further processing can it meet the demands of modern engine technology. The process used in our biodiesel plants for the transesterification of vegetable oil is based on a method co-developed by Dr. Georg Pollert, who is the co-founder of VERBIO and now a member of the Supervisory Board.
Vegetable oil and methanol are transesterified with the aid of a catalyst to create fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and glycerine. The production process is based on chemical and physical stages.
We obtain sustainably produced rapeseed oil from oil mills. It first needs to be refined by removing impurities such as free fatty acids. The resulting raffinate is then delivered to the transesterification plant. By adding methanol and a catalyst, the vegetable oil is converted during transesterification into methyl esters and glycerine.
Apart from our transesterification plants, VERBIO also runs two esterification plants, where fatty acids from biodiesel production and vegetable oil refining are converted into biodiesel. The correct chemical name of our fuel is fatty acid methyl ester or FAME. Under the product name of biodiesel, this biofuel is delivered to our customers by pipeline or road tanker.
The main customers of Verbiodiesel are oil companies, which add up to 7% biodiesel to their diesel (B7). According to carmakers, all engines can run smoothly on this ratio. In addition, biodiesel is sold for use as a fuel by itself (B100), the main buyers being haulage companies and fleet operators.
