Increasing waste feedstock supply comes with its challenges

Carlos Rodríguez Gaya, head of product management and technical service, purification EMEA, outlines the year ahead for the company.
Over the past year multiple new investment projects to produce hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) and/or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) were announced.
The main driver associated with this wave of investments are legislative proposals of the EU Fit for 55 package that aims to further reduce emissions and address their social impacts.
Be it new refineries or the revamping of existing ones, we will continue to hear about further investments throughout this year, confirming the continued focus on turning waste into valuable renewable feedstock.

Growing demand and challenges

However, with more producers wanting to benefit from carbon credit systems, there will also be a higher demand for waste feedstock.
Securing a sufficient, reliable and usable supply to operate these new refineries will present a challenge in 2023.
Used cooking oil (UCO), animal fats and other waste hydrocarbon feedstocks often contain many impurities that hamper technically and economically...