Biodiesel by-product valorization

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Biodiesel is a renewable biofuel, industrially produced at various facilities in Canada (300 MIO L of biodiesel per year). A by-product of biodiesel production is glycerol, typically contaminated with catalyst, soap, methanol, free fatty acids, glycerides and methyl esters. Hence it cannot be sold directly in the existing glycerol markets unless costly purification is employed. This stream represents a unique opportunity as a new carbon source for biobutanol production, requiring minimal upgrading. Co-locating biobutanl production with biodiesel plants, would allow the utilization of established infrastructure and add significant value and productivity to the existing biodiesel industry. BIOX Corporation, the industrial partner in this project is a renewable energy company that designed, built, owns and operates a 67 MIO L per annum nameplate capacity biodiesel production facility in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. BIOX's plant produces approximately 7 MIO L crude glycerol (80 w/w%) per year. This research project evaluates the possibility of a continuous fermentation to produce the biofuel butanol from the existing glycerol stream.