Ensyn wins regulatory approval from EPA for US renewable diesel sales

Ensyn has been granted a key regulatory approval from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its renewable diesel product, RFDiesel, company officials announced on Wednesday. 

This approval, pursuant to Title 40 CFR Part 79 of the Clean Air Act, is required for the sale of RFDiesel into US commerce.

RFDiesel, a drop-in diesel transportation fuel, is created by processing Ensyn's renewable crude (RFO), a liquid cellulosic feedstock, with customary petroleum feedstocks in conventional petroleum refineries (RFO Coprocessing). 

Ensyn is developing and commercializing RFO Coprocessing in a strategic alliance with Honeywell's UOP, a global leader in technology solutions for the refining industry.

"We are very pleased that this important milestone has been achieved," said Veronica May, vice president and general manager of UOP's renewable energy and chemicals business. "RFO Coprocessing is a cost-effective solution with multiple advantages for refiners wishing to integrate cellulosic feedstocks into their operations. We look forward to commercializing this important product."

Ensyn says it is advancing its RFO Coprocessing business with UOP and an array of first-class, global industry leaders, and the Part 79 registration process involved a number of these industry leaders. 

The liquid RFO feedstock was produced at one of Ensyn's commercial facilities and shipped to Brazil. Using Petrobras' proprietary FCC coprocessing technology, 400 gallons of coprocessed diesel were produced in a technical collaboration between Petrobras and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). 

The diesel was shipped to a major international oil company in the US for initial evaluation and preparation for the Part 79 test. The final RFDiesel product was then shipped to Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, where independent Part 79 testing was conducted.

"This is another important step for the development of our renewable fuels business," said Dr. Robert Graham, CEO of Ensyn. "Registration under Part 79 will allow us to proceed with the commercial introduction of RFO feedstocks to refiners. In parallel with this process we are expanding RFO production capacity in order to meet expected demand."