Goal: Complete Waste-to-Biofuel Solution

In January this year, the companies Topsoe and Steeper, both headquartered in Denmark, signed a global licensing agreement for a complete waste-to-fuel solution.

The agreement combines Topsoe’s technologies in renewable fuels and hydrogen production as well as decades of experience in engineering with Steeper’s proprietary Hydrofaction technology and industry expertise. According to Topsoe, the company would be able to provide a complete waste-to-fuel technology solution and, at the same time, a one-stop solution for refineries, project developers, and industries having access to excess waste biomass. “The end-products include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), marine biofuel, and renewable diesel from waste biomass,” a joint press release said. With this agreement, the parties were working towards the first commercial-scale deployment of Hydrofaction technology.

Hydrothermal liquefaction
Steeper’s Hydrofaction has been validated through various stages of continuous pilot and demonstration-scale plant operations over the past ten years.

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) applies supercritical water as a reaction medium for the conversion of biomass directly into a high-energy density renewable biocrude oil. “Steeper’s unique process mimics and accelerates nature by subjecting wet biomass to heat and high pressure,” the companies informed. “The process conditions are carefully chosen to promote reaction pathways that favor high yields of high-quality renewable oil.” With Steeper’s Hydrofaction technology, it was possible to convert up to 85 percent of incoming biomass on an energy basis, “making it one of the most effective conversion technologies available”.

www.steeperenergy.com
www.topsoe.com

(Published in GLOBAL RECYCLING Magazine 1/2023, Page 21)