Navigate the Future of Energy with Alleima
Decarbonisation, net zero and energy security are poised to be pivotal topics in 2024, with biofuels emerging as a key player in enabling companies and government to achieve their environmental objectives.
Considering the European Parliament’s ambitious target of 45% renewable energy consumption by 2030 and the European Union’s REPowerEU initiative for energy independence, the biofuels sector is presented with a significant opportunity for growth and to reaffirm its vital contribution to the current energy landscape.
At Alleima, we’ve got a dedicated experienced team that attends key events throughout the year, ensuring our solutions remain at the forefront of these global challenges.
That’s why we recently attended the Biofuels International Conference and Expo. Here are some of our teams’ key learnings.
Industry Challenges Due to the Limited Availability of Renewable Feedstocks
We know that the pathway to widespread adoption is not without hurdles. The availability of renewable feedstocks remains a significant bottleneck. Essential sources such as used cooking oil, animal fats, and tall oil are in limited supply. This shortage underscores the need for innovation and diversification in feedstock sourcing to meet the growing demand for renewable fuels.
To overcome these limitations, the industry is investing in processes that extend beyond traditional feedstocks. These advanced technologies are still under development but a promising avenue for sustainable fuel production, enhancing energy security and reducing the dependency on a single type of feedstock.
Sharing Expertise at Biofuels International Conference and Expo 2024
This event gives insight into market trends, technology development forecasts, and regulations within these fields.
One key revelation from the event was the increased focus on ethanol as a gasoline substitute that might shift long-term internal combustion engine viability. However, the European conflict between using agricultural products for food versus ethanol production must be resolved to enhance ethanol's practicality.
We found the insights into future trends to be helpful and there were many exciting discussions about products that will aid the biofuels industry.
Alleima's Jonas Höwing, Technical Marketing Specialist, EMEA, presented on materials selection for revamping refineries and pretreatment units, highlighting cost savings through modern alloys. His talk, “Sanicro®35: A cost effective alternative for renewable processes,” garnered significant attention and sparked key discussions, as it showcased a solution that will shape the future of biofuel production.
Alleima's contribution to the biofuels industry today: how is it advancing materials?
Choosing the right alloy for heat exchangers in a bio-refinery is critical. It can extend equipment lifetime and enhance safety. Whether producing biodiesel, renewable diesel, or sustainable aviation fuel, aggressive conditions can cause corrosion, cracks, or leaks, leading to unscheduled maintenance, fires, or explosions.
Sanicro®35: a cost-efficient alternative for biorefineries
Bio-refineries often rely on costly alloys like Alloy 625 or Alloy 825 to help avoid corrosion challenges. Now there’s another option to consider. Alleima’s Sanicro®35 bridges the gap between standard stainless steel grade and nickel alloys. Based on recent laboratory testings Sanicro® 35 matches the pitting resistance of Alloy 625 and outperforms this nickel alloy.
Supporting Refineries and Greenfields Directly
Revamping existing refineries and greenfield projects usually requires high nickel alloys for certain equipment. Alleima offers a cost-effective alternative, reducing material costs and in turn makes projects more feasible. By lowering project CapEx, Alleima helps to ensure a faster return on investment. Additionally, our R&D efforts identify suitable materials for specific applications and help to deliver new materials over time.
Choosing Alleima to be Your Partner
At Alleima, steel gets a new life, by utilising recycled steel and enhancing it with key alloying materials, we deliver next generation materials.
Compared to traditional ore-based steel production, our recycled steel-based process is significantly more energy-efficient and has an exceptionally low CO2 footprint. This approach not only conserves resources but also minimises our environmental impact, aligning with global sustainability goals.
With a successful history in supporting the biofuels industry with the absolute best in materials technology, we will never stop innovating, creating the best quality materials, and putting our customers first. We believe that when we advance materials for our customers, they benefit too, helping to increase productivity, and energy efficiency, while minimising the impact on the environment.
Read more about our industry-leading sustainability practices here.
