Sweden's Gothenburg increases renewable diesel output by 40%

London — The production capacity for renewable diesel at Sweden's Gothenburg refinery has increased 40% following a redevelopment of the green hydrotreater plant (GHT), operator Preem said late Jan. 21.

The GHT can produce 100% renewable products by processing renewables raw materials such as raw tall oil diesel, residues from the food industry and recycled frying oil.

The product from the GHT plant will be used as HVO100 and as a component in other diesel products.

"The redevelopment means that Preem has increased its domestic production of biofuels and, at the same time, we contribute to the ongoing shift from fossil fuels to renewable," said Magnus Heimburg, CEO of Preem adding that the company continued the renewable restructuring of its refineries.

Last year, Preem abandoned the residue oil conversion complex project at its other refinery -- Lysekil -- in favor of large-scale production of renewable fuels.

Preem aims to produce 5 million cu m of renewable fuels by 2030, the company said.

"Our goal of producing 5 million cubic meters by 2030 means that we can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 12.5 million tonnes, which corresponds to 20 percent of Sweden's total emissions," said Heimburg in the statement.

A number of refineries in Europe are switching their capacities to production of biofuel as demand for oil products declines.

Earlier this month, Italy's Eni said it was evaluating conversion of its 84,000 b/d Livorno refinery in northwest Italy into a bio-refinery. Total has decided to convert its Grandpuits refinery into a "zero crude platform." Spain's Repsol plans to increase its biofuels production to more than 2 million mt/year by 2030. Finland's Neste will transform its Porvoo refinery operations to co-processing renewable and circular raw materials. OMV's Schwechat refinery in Austria will convert up to 160,000 mt/year of liquid biomass into carbon-neutral fuels.