Lithuania Eyes Biofuels Energy Shift

Martin, Slovakia [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Liquid Biofuels - their production, utilization, quality standardization, legislation and government support in Lithuania and the European Union was the main topic for discussion at an international conference recently held in Lithuania.

Liquid biofuels, (bioethanol and methyl esters blends), have been accepted by various industries and customers as alternative fuels for gasoline & diesel engines. Liquid biofuels are produced from domestic renewable sources of energy and emit an ecologically friendly profile of combustion gases and are not involved in the increase of greenhouse gases (CO2).

Companies, Rapsoila and MG Baltic organized the event in the Crown Plaza Conference Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania. At the new Rapsoila plant, methyl-esters (ME) are produced from the vegetable oils through a process called transesterification.

Speakers at the event presented information on bioethanol and the biodiesel life cycle. They also presented a detailed description of the cold rapeseeds pressing and latest ME technology developments and trends.

The highlight of this event was a series of presentations made by managers of bioethanol and biodiesel production facilities.

Biodiesel, the blend of the fossil diesel fuel and ME, is primarily used for engines. The optimal composition blend for biodiesel fuel is 35 percent ME and 65 percent fossil diesel fuel. Rapsoila claims the ratio of ME may be increased up to 50 percent to improve the lubrication of the engine when using biodiesel fuel.

Participants of this event had the opportunity to visit the biodiesel plant. Mr. Caplinskas, director of UAB RAPSOILA, and Martin Cvengros, director of BIORAFINERIA SK, j.s.c., presented further technical details on cold pressed oil, press cakes, glycerine and ME production on the site.

I was under the impression methyl-esters = biodiesel. When mixing with fossil diesel you are creating blends such as the B35 (35% biodiesel, 65% dino-diesel) mentioned above. Improved lubricitiy starts at B2. If they think lubricity is good at B50 what do they think it'll be when using B100?

Where is the part of the study that includes counties like Afganistan as biofarm production sites? Any chance Coffe bean like plants produce sufficent oils?

Producing Biodiesel gives 10 % waste glycerol. We are able to produce a glycerol-product which gives better combustion characteristics for Diesel and Biodiesel (of course also for B20, B35 etc). We are proposing production locations at C4 overproductionlocations like Rotterdam a.o. Is anyone interested?