Austria-based BDI-BioEnergy International AG has been commissioned to perform two retrofit applications at existing biodiesel plants, one in the U.S. (Atlanta) and the other in the U.K.

While BDI would not confirm with Biodiesel Magazine the owner’s name of the Atlanta plant due to nondisclosure agreements, BDI stated the owner is the “biggest biodiesel producer in the U.S.,” which is presumed to be Renewable Energy Group Inc. and its 15 MMgy Atlanta-based biodiesel facility, REG Atlanta LLC, formerly known as Bulldog Biodiesel, an asset acquired by REG last November. REG told Biodiesel Magazine it had no comment on the arrangement.

BDI stated it has been commissioned to carry out basic engineering assignments at the Atlanta-based biodiesel plant, a prerequisite for successfully implementing its RetroFit Program at the site. “The aim is to modernize the plant, which is out of operation at the moment, in such a way that a profitable restart of production can be guaranteed,” BDI stated.

BDI has also been commissioned by an unnamed British biodiesel manufacturer to implement a biodiesel purification unit. With the help of this optimization unit, the contaminant content of the biodiesel, particularly the residual monoglycerides, will be reduced to a level that is far lower than the relevant limits specified by the strict European biodiesel quality standard. This project will guarantee not only a considerable improvement in quality but also an increase in the output of the biodiesel plant.

The value of the two jobs is roughly €400,000 ($541,360), according to BDI.

“We are delighted to start the autumn with two international commissions for our successful RetroFit Program,” said Christine Riedl, technical sales director for BDI.  “Thanks to our many years of experience in the plant construction and optimization field, BDI is also in a position to modify and integrate our internal biodiesel technologies successfully in existing biodiesel plants provided by other technology suppliers. The objective of the RetroFit Program is optimizing biodiesel quality, in order to satisfy the increasingly exacting requirements made by the different biodiesel standards around the world (e.g., EN14214:2012) and the purchasing specifications of the major oil refineries. Increasing the capacity and output of existing plants is another focus of the RetroFit technology.”