Verbio Diesel Canada Corporation founder Claus Sauter talks fuelling lower emissions

Back in May 2019, Verbio Diesel Canada Corporation (a subsidiary of German company Verbio Vereinigte BioEnergie AG) purchased Atlantic Biodiesel Corporation’s biodiesel plant in Welland, Ont., which is designed to produce crude glycerin and biodiesel transportation fuel derived from canola and soybean oil. The acquisition assisted Verbio in pursuing its internationalization strategy focusing on the growing biofuels market in North America.

Five years since the purchase, Canadian Biomass decided to reach out and get an update on the status of the company from Verbio’s founder and CEO Claus Sauter.

How have operations at the Welland plant changed since Verbio acquired the facility?

Since we took over the plant in May 2019, we have run the plant continuously – seven days a week, 24 hours a day. 

Our expertise from running biodiesel plants in Europe since 2001 helped increase the efficiency and production capacity of the plant while reducing costs significantly.

What is your current annual production at the Welland plant? What are your long-term production targets?

The plant has an annual production capacity of approximately 150,000 tons of biodiesel and 18,000 tons of raw glycerin. However, renewable energy markets are subject to the regional and global market conditions.

We have been pleased with the results being achieved by our Welland plant. In the past years, we have developed readily executable plans to increase production capacity, produce higher value by-products and use lower grade feedstocks.

As one of the leading global renewable energy companies, Verbio has always been reviewing plans for potential expansion and/or upgrades of its existing facilities as well as investigating options for new projects. However, current market conditions tied to regulatory uncertainty are delaying decisions for numerous renewable energy companies.

With clear sets of governmental and regulatory guidelines, Verbio will be able to make decisions on long-term investments. 

The energy business has always been and will continue to be very capital intensive. Therefore, certainty and stability are desired in the market to ensure long-term success for its shareholders and employees.

Verbio’s founder and CEO Claus Sauter. Images courtesy of Verbio.

Can you describe in detail the production and quality control processes used in the Welland operation to produce crude glycerin and biodiesel?

For our biodiesel and glycerol production we use renewable sources like vegetable oil and methanol. The chemical process called “transesterification” is catalyzed by a caustic catalyst. This process is very efficient, using very little energy and producing nearly no waste or wastewater. Biodiesel produced in Welland is definitely an environmentally friendly and CO₂ emission-saving biofuel.

Has sourcing feedstock for the Welland plant been challenging?

Sourcing feedstock for the Welland plant so far has not been a challenge. It is actually quite the opposite. A major advantage of the plant is its connection to the railway infrastructure, which makes it easier for us to bring in raw materials.

How many people are currently employed at the facility? Has finding qualified staff been difficult during the labour shortages taking place over the past few years?

We currently employ 33 people at our plant in Welland, and we can say that it is not easy to find qualified staff in the Welland region. Therefore, we invest a lot in training our employees and providing a good working environment to avoid
fluctuation.

With countries and companies looking to meet more aggressive carbon emissions reduction targets, how do you see facilities like the Welland plant and Verbio playing a significant role in helping them meet their targets?

All of what we do at Verbio is based on the principles of sustainability. Not only are we using an innovative approach to continuously optimize our use of resources, we also have steadily expanded our range of climate-friendly products that are created in an energy and CO2 efficient manner. 

The raw materials we apply are almost completely utilized in multiple production steps. This steadily increases the efficiency of our production processes and reduces our own carbon footprint. With the products we supply, we drive decarbonization, especially in the industry and mobility sector. 

Our customers are able to increase their carbon handprint goals and save a significant amount of GHG emissions. 

To learn more about Verbio Vereinigte BioEnergie AG Welland biodiesel facility and other ongoing projects, visit: verbio-north-america.com.