The largest anticipated advanced bio refinery in the world will now be able to run with zero emissions thanks to an announcement made by SGP BioEnergy.
The plan for the Biorefineria Ciudad Dorada (Golden City Biorefinery), to be built in Colon and Balboa, Panama, was revealed by SGP BioEnergy in May. All property rights have been secured to enable the groundbreaking of physical construction in 2023, and facility building is on pace for Phase 1 production to start in 2025. When fully operational, the biorefinery will generate 405,000 metric tons of green hydrogen annually and 180,000 barrels per day (2.6 billion gallons) of biofuel.
In order to ensure that this enormous project stays on schedule and can satisfy the rising demand for advanced biofuels to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Renewable Diesel for ground transportation, and lower carbon marine fuel, SGP BioEnergy has gathered political and business leaders over the past few months.
SGP BioEnergy has collaborated with Topsoe to combine its HydroFlex and H2 Bridge technologies in order to create green hydrogen from waste carbon and renewable fuel by-products created during the refining process in addition to establishing these fundamental components.
Topsoe’s proprietary HydroFlex technology is used to refine a variety of biofuel feedstocks, such as soy, camelina, canola/rapeseed, and hazelnut, into advanced biofuels. Waste propane and carbon offgas from the refining process are captured by the H2 Bridge technology, which then transforms them into green hydrogen and supplies it back to the refining facility to power facility operations.
In order to find investors that agreed with the company’s aim for a better energy mix that includes renewable biofuel, SGP BioEnergy teamed up with Goldman Sachs. Given its free zones, dedication to clean energy innovation, and worldwide platform to transport the fuels around the world, Panama was an appropriate partner to boost the project’s financial potential.
It is more important than ever to produce renewable energy on a wide basis. The existing Panama free zones present a unique opportunity to create a scalable, logistically superior, and flexible method of gathering, processing, and distributing sustainable biomass feedstocks into renewable products as decarbonization, corporate commitments, and regulatory initiatives take place all over the world. Additionally, it offers a global platform for shipping the fuels to clients that are committed to decarbonizing their operations.
