20 October 2009
Arizona Chemical, the world’s leading bio-refiner of Crude Tall Oil, is studying the possibility of producing biodiesel at its manufacturing plants. Crude Tall Oil, a renewable natural material that is a co-product of the wood pulping process, can be used to make green products based on renewable resources.
With nearly 80 years of continuous research and development, supported by the company’s advanced refining technologies, Arizona Chemical has already developed thousands of applications from distilled Crude Tall Oil for various industries, including the paint, printing, adhesives, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, personal care, roadmarking, food and textile industries.
“Throughout our history, we have continually led innovations in using components of Crude Tall Oil, a valuable and scarce natural raw material, responsibly and in the most efficient and sustainable way,” said Juhani Tuovinen, Vice President and Managing Director – Europe.
Arizona Chemical has been using and selling some of these components for bio-energy and heating purposes for many years, and recent technology advancements allow for the production of biodiesel directly from components of Crude Tall Oil.
“We have the technology required for manufacturing biodiesel to meet the current and required specifications and are able to start manufacturing quickly and cost-effectively at our refineries,” Tuovinen explained.
Recent studies as well as the company’s own research have shown that using Crude Tall Oil only to manufacture biodiesel is not a sustainable strategy.
“We are researching which components of Crude Tall Oil should be used to make economically and environmentally sustainable industrial raw materials, and which components should be used to promote the use of renewable energy in accordance with the EU bioliquid and biofuel sustainability criteria,” Tuovinen explained.
Arizona Chemical could begin production using streams from its existing biorefineries in Oulu, Finland, and Sandarne, Sweden, as well as in Panama City, Fla., and Savannah, Ga., in the U.S., within six months.