Shell Affiliate Inaugurates BTL Synthetic Diesel Plant in Germany

Royal Dutch Shell’s affiliate Choren Industries, has inaugurated the world’s first biomass-to-synthetic diesel fuel production plant in Freiberg, Germany.

The plant will reportedly produce a high-performance fuel called biomass-to-liquid (BTL) from non-food biomass, such as forest residues and waste wood.

The use of these raw materials implies that a liter of BTL will need less than a third of the land needed to produce a liter of rapeseed biodiesel.

Shell noted that the fuel is expected to reduce CO2 production by up to 90%, compared to conventional diesel and is compatible with standard diesel engines and supply infrastructure.

The integrated energy giant said that the next important step will be to start production in eight to 12 months time. The plant is designed to produce 18 million liters of fuel per year.