Biodiesel from Jatropha & Co.
Whether the struggle is preventing climate change, protecting the environment, or gaining independence from crude oil imports—the search for alternative energy sources is one of the most important challenges of the coming decades. Many industrial companies and legislators have now adapted their strategies to meet these needs. The goal is to conserve scarce raw fossil materials and use renewable resources as substitutes. One energy source in particular has established itself in this regard: biodiesel.
In many countries, this environmentally friendly fuel is already an obligatory blend ingredient in fossil diesel. This has been true in Germany since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol and the introduction of the Biofuel Quota Law in 2007 for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the blending of biofuels.
Path to biodiesel
Until now, biodiesel has been obtained from resources such as canola, soy, sunflowers, or used
cooking oil which can be obtained, for example, from deep frying. These natural oils are called
first-generation raw materials. The trend is now towards inedible vegetable resources. The
so-called second-generation includes oil-rich plants that can be cultivated in dry, hot countries
and survive with little irrigation. Among these plants are
Jatropha curcas und
Pongamia pinnata.
Jatropha - a new resource
Jatropha, also known as “Barbados nut” or “physic nut,” is a new resource for producing
biodiesel. The plant is a member of the spurge family and has the advantage that it is not used as
a food source and can be grown even in desert-like conditions. Thus areas in hot climate regions,
which otherwise would remain uncultivated, can be used for growing the crop. The plant exhibits a
good CO2 balance. In addition, the jatropha nut can be harvested only manually, so new jobs are
created where the crop is grown.
From natural oil to high tech fuel
These developments are being followed with great interest in Niederkassel-Lülsdorf. Here, Evonik
Industries produces catalysts, so-called alcoholates, which allow biodiesel to be produced
efficiently. These are important because natural oils, due to their molecular structure, are not
suitable for use in standard engines. The alcoholates from Evonik make it possible to convert oil
to biodiesel and glycerin. “With our catalysts, biodiesel can be manufactured in an anhydrous
process. This process avoids contamination of the products, which essentially makes their
separation and preparation easier,” says Holger Kinzel, product manager for biodiesel at Evonik.
Investments in the booming biodiesel market
Because of increasing globalization, the growing world population, and growing economies, particularly in developing countries, the worldwide appetite for energy is steadily intensifying. The biodiesel market is expanding in response to the scarcity of raw fossil materials and keener environmental awareness.
Evonik is currently investing in the construction of an alcoholates plant in Mobile, Alabama,
USA. Thus Evonik continues to pursue its strategy of investing in markets where the company already
holds leading positions and expects long-term growth.
The construction of another plant to supply South America is being planned in Brazil.
Diagram showing the potential future process for extracting algae oil.
Future scenario: biodiesel from algae oil
To provide further alternatives to biodiesel, researchers are currently looking at producing
biodiesel from algae oil. The advantage of algae is that it can be cultivated in large amounts with
minimal space requirements. To grow, the algae primarily need light and CO2, which during
photosynthesis are converted into biomass such as algae oil and oxygen, for example. Flue gas from
coal-burning power plants that separate carbon dioxide is one example of a CO2 source. Researchers
worldwide are searching for suitable processes for efficiently extracting the algae oil.
Second generation raw materials such as jatropha or algae have great potential for efficient
and environmentally friendly biodiesel production. They protect the environment and help us
immensely in solving our CO2 problems.
