Biodiesel water content must be reduced, says German oil industry

The Association Quality management Biodiesel reg. Ass. (AGQM) recently presented results of a jointly initiated project at the 5th annual expert discussion dealing with the issue of biodiesel filterability. Petroleum and biodiesel experts were on hand.

It was shown that the contents of alkaline and alkaline earth metals, phosphor and sulphur were significantly below the levels set out in the biodiesel norm EN 14214. Furthermore, the contents of sterol glycosides (SG) and acylated sterol glycosides (ASG) in biodiesel, which are suspected of causing filter blockages, were very low. A correlation between the ASG and SG contents and filterability could not be shown as a result of these studies.

A topic increasingly discussed on an international level, the phenomenon of microbial growth can be controlled using preventive measures ("good housekeeping"). Nonetheless, according to the comments by the mineral oil industry on the present results, the biodiesel industry must reduce the water content in biodiesel if this is possible in terms of processes. Against this background, the participants discussed the current level of norms for biodiesel as well as the implementation of the AGQM recommendation “FAME for blends,” which contains voluntary specifications exceeding the biodiesel norm EN 14214.

Moreover, AGQM is involved in several cooperative projects aiming at creating an additional sales market by making up the use of biodiesel as a blending component in heating oil. Accessible focal points of the project-related cooperation with the mineral oil industry, the additive compound manufacturers and research institutes involved were presented.

From the point of view of AGQM, this year's expert discussion again confirmed the mutual interest of being as forward-looking as possible in questions of using biodiesel as a blending component in petroleum products, and if necessary to unearth solutions in joint projects or even to develop new sales potential. This trusting cooperation forms the basis of a sustainable market establishment of biodiesel.