Ensyn gets approval from U.S. EPA for its renewable diesel product
Ensyn Corporation, headquartered in Wilmington, Del., U.S.A., has received a key regulatory approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its renewable diesel product, RFDiesel. This approval, pursuant to Title 40 CFR Part 79 of the Clean Air Act, is required for the sale of RFDiesel into U.S. commerce.
RFDiesel, a drop-in diesel transportation fuel, is created by processing Ensyn’s renewable crude (RFO), a liquid cellulosic feedstock, with customary petroleum feedstocks in conventional petroleum refineries (RFO Coprocessing). Ensyn is developing and commercializing RFO Coprocessing in a strategic alliance with Honeywell UOP, a global leader in technology solutions for the refining industry.
Veronica May, vice president and general manager of UOP’s Renewable Energy and Chemicals business, said, “We are very pleased that this important milestone has been achieved. RFO Coprocessing is a cost-effective solution with multiple advantages for refiners wishing to integrate cellulosic feedstocks into their operations. We look forward to commercializing this important product.”
Ensyn is advancing its RFO Coprocessing business with UOP and an array of first-class, global industry leaders. The Part 79 registration process involved a number of these industry leaders. The liquid RFO feedstock was produced at one of Ensyn’s commercial facilities and shipped to Brazil. Using Petrobras proprietary FCC coprocessing technology, 400 gallons of coprocessed diesel were produced in a technical collaboration between Petrobras and the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The diesel was shipped to a major international oil company in the U.S. for initial evaluation and preparation for the Part 79 test. The final RFDiesel product was then shipped to Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas where independent Part 79 testing was conducted.
“This is another important step for the development of our renewable fuels business,” said Ensyn CEO and Chairman Robert Graham. “Registration under Part 79 will allow us to proceed with the commercial introduction of RFO feedstocks to refiners. In parallel with this process we are expanding RFO production capacity in order to meet expected demand.”
