The importance of oil seed extraction for the renewable fuels market

As the global economy accelerates its shift towards sustainable energy solutions, bio-based alternatives are becoming increasingly vital. Among these, renewable fuels – particularly biodiesel and renewable diesel – are emerging as key components in reducing carbon emissions and achieving energy security. At the core of this movement lies a foundational process that is often overlooked: oil seed extraction.

What is oil seed extraction?

Oil seed extraction is the process of removing oil from plant seeds such as soybean, canola, sunflower, camelina and mustard seeds.
These oils are rich in triglycerides, which are essential feedstocks for producing biofuels.
The basic stages that oil seeds undergo on their way to becoming biofuel feedstock are preparation, extraction and desolventisation. Preparation breaks up the oil seeds to expose more surface area to solvents.
The extraction stage uses two primary methods: mechanical pressing and solvent extraction. Both aim to efficiently harvest the oil content while minimising waste and preserving valuable co-products like proteinrich meal for animal feed.

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