Green propylene glycol production unit
Striving for resource efficiency, Poland
Orlen Poludnie S.A. featured in the 2022 Responsible Care Awards Gallery: ‘striving for resource efficiency’
The Project involves the construction of the first-of-a-kind green bio propylene glycol production plant. The plant mainly uses bio-based raw material which is a by-product from existing biodiesel production It has the largest production capacity in Europe, with 30,000 tons of final product per year. Propylene glycol derived from biogenic glycerin is a substrate for specialty products of the chemical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, among others.
Environmental impact of the project
Biological origin will constitute the key benefit for recipients, satisfying their needs in terms of increased intensity of using raw materials from renewable sources and, as a result, reduced negative environmental impact. There is a growing environmental awareness among consumers of products from renewable sources. At the same time, the project will satisfy the need for maintenance of high-quality standards commonly expressed towards bio-products, being substitutes of oil-related products.
Lower “carbon footprint” – use of the main raw material of renewable origin as well as a number of process improvements of the developed technology allows considerable reduction of the general emission of greenhouse gases (CO2) per production unit of propylene glycol, in relation to conventional technologies. This feature is significant to the majority of recipients, such as big enterprises concerned about their pro-environmental image and implementing the sustainable development policy in their activities.
While comparing the production route of propylene glycol by means of the method based on the renewable raw material versus the petrochemical method, propylene bio-glycol generates 60% lower emissions of CO2 in relation to petrochemical production.