Technological watch

• Grön Fuels, LLC’s renewable diesel and jet fuel option facility at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge is based on Topsoe’s proprietary HydroFlex™ hydrotreating and H2bridge™ hydrogen technologies, including an option to capture ~1 million tons per year of bio-CO2 for carbon sequestration in suitable deep saline aquifers located below the project site.
• Final investment decision for the first phase of the project is expected in 2021, making this complex the largest renewable fuel site in the world. The first phase of construction would involve a capital investment of over USD 1.25 billion and create 340 new direct jobs by 2024.

The integration of the fully proven H2bridge™ hydrogen technology with the HydroFlex™ technology enables Grön Fuels to produce renewable bio-hydrogen equivalent to the production of a 1,000 MW hydrolyser plant at a fraction of the cost. The design flexibility to include bio-carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) to the project is added to pursue negative carbon intensity renewable fuel production.

Bio-hydrogen not utilized for renewable diesel production will be made available by Grön Fuels for purchase by third parties for lowering the CO2 emissions of power production, industrial processes, or transportation and can be shipped by the ~600 miles / 1,000 km of hydrogen pipelines operational and located near Grön Fuels’ site.

Grön Fuels worked collaboratively with Topsoe to design the facility to be able to manufacture renewable arctic diesel with an additive-free -40 degrees cloud point.

The facility will produce renewable diesel from non-fossil feedstocks such as soybean and canola oils, distillers corn oil, tallow, used cooking oil, and feedstocks of the future such as bio-crudes. The low-carbon fuels produced can directly substitute conventional fuels in cars, trucks and airplanes, while utilizing existing fuel storage tanks and infrastructure such as long-haul pipelines.

“We have integrated the world’s leading renewable fuels technology by Haldor Topsoe with a design and long-term vision for production of net negative CO2 renewable diesel that will also create significant new and long-term green industrial jobs in Louisiana,” said Dan Shapiro, Managing Partner and co-founder of Fidelis Infrastructure, LP.

“Haldor Topsoe’s people and proven technologies have been instrumental in the development of the Grön Fuels facility as an on-purpose, low-carbon intensity renewable fuel production facility utilizing bio-hydrogen rather than fossil-based hydrogen in the hydrotreating process. Additionally, Haldor Topsoe’s proven and operational capabilities to capture CO2 from the H2bridge™ hydrogen plant provides Grön Fuels the flexibility to pursue multiple follow-on projects to achieve net negative carbon intensity through bioenergy carbon capture and sequestration,” said Bengt Jarlsjo, Partner and co-founder of Fidelis Infrastructure, LP.

Grön Fuels, LLC is a portfolio company of Houston-based asset management firm Fidelis Infrastructure that specializes in renewable energy, low-carbon transportation fuels, sustainable and circular economy infrastructure and digital infrastructure.

“We are very proud to be part of this innovative project that has such great potential for the state of Louisiana and for reducing carbon emissions by leveraging Topsoe’s proven technologies into Grön Fuels’ pathway to ultra-low carbon intensity renewable fuels. Topsoe’s vision is to be recognized as the world leader in carbon emission reduction technologies by 2024, and this project is an important step on our journey as it incorporates several of our industry-leading technologies,” says Amy Hebert, Chief Commercial Officer, Haldor Topsoe.

Source: Haldor Topsoe, press release, 2020-12-14.