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First-generation biofuels
Many countries are introducing regulations or incentives that promote the use of biofuels. In Europe, the aim is for biofuels to account for 5.75% of total fuel consumption by 2010 and 20% by 2020.
Biodiesel production
IFP has been working on biofuels since 1980. In the early 1990s, it developed the innovative EsterfipTM production process, which uses homogeneous catalysis to convert rapeseed oil and methanol into biodiesel.
Since then, IFP has developed a new biodiesel production process based on heterogeneous catalysis: Esterfip-HTM. This new process further improves performance, offering a better-quality biodiesel and fewer by-products.
The Esterfip-HTM process has been commercialized by Axens. It was first used in an industrial context in 2006, by Sofiproteol in Sète.
Current projects aim to:
- reduce costs,
- increase feed flexibility (both the use of oils and the substitution of methanol with ethanol from biomass),
- develop new processes to add value to glycerol, a by-product of the reaction.
Direct hydrotreatment of vegetable oils
IFP is working to develop a direct hydrotreatment process for vegetable oils. The goal is to use IFP’s expertise and experience to develop a product that can be commercialised quickly to ensure a rapid return on investment. To achieve this, IFP is leveraging its expertise in:
- the hydrotreatment of oil cuts,
- the treatment of vegetable oils.
+ Industrial development > IFP's offer in biofuels
+ Information/Publications > Panorama 2007 technical reports: "What future and what role for biofuels?"
+ Specific issue: IFP and biofuels
