Nippon Gases Deutschland, a European subsidiary of Nippon Sanso Holdings Corporation (NSHD), is set to cooperate with VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG to recover biogenic CO2. To this end, the industrial gases specialist Nippon Gases is investing in the construction of a modern plant for the purification and liquefaction of CO2 from VERBIO's bioethanol production at the Zörbig site, and is building a plant in the immediate vicinity for the further processing of the CO2 into dry ice. The two companies recently signed a corresponding strategic agreement.
The cooperation with VERBIO is ideal for Nippon Gases in several respects. "Due to the central location of the site in Germany, on the one hand we reduce the transport distances to a large part of our clientele," explains Christian Beck, responsible for the development of the project, "on the other hand we increase the availability of our products by diversifying our CO2 supply base to sources that are not dependent on the use of natural gas."
This offers customers improved security of supply and also benefits the environment. Thanks to the short distance between liquefaction and further processing into dry ice, road transport of liquid carbon dioxide is reduced by up to 380,000km per year. "With the resulting reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 330t per year, we are making another important contribution to the sustainability of the entire value chain," adds Beck.
VERBIO CTO Prof. Dr. Oliver Lüdtke is also satisfied with regards to the future cooperation: "In our VERBIO biorefineries, we are continuously optimizing the use of resources, energy efficiency and the CO2 footprint. Already today, the raw materials we use are almost completely recycled in several process stages. Harnessing the CO2 generated in our production is another step towards achieving our self-imposed goal of being CO2 neutral by 2035."
Who needs liquid CO2 and dry ice?
Liquid CO2 and dry ice are used in numerous industries. Among others, the food industry requires CO2 with particularly high requirements in terms of purity and quality. Because of its very low temperatures, liquid CO2 is ideal for freezing a wide range of foodstuffs. In gaseous form, it is used in modified atmosphere packaging to prevent premature spoilage of foodstuffs. It is equally important for the beverage industry. Dry ice, on the other hand, is in high demand as a cooling medium during transport to maintain cold chains.
Ideal conditions for female industrial workers
With a new concept for dry ice production, Nippon Gases offers inclusive working conditions that will promote diversity in the workforce. Diversity is of great importance to Nippon Gases and is a cornerstone of its business strategy. "With this commitment, for which we are providing additional financial resources, we are taking concrete action" explains Claudia Eichelsdörfer, HR Director at Nippon Gases Germany.
Information on VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG (VERBIO)
VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG is one of the leading, group-independent bioenergy producers and also the only large-scale industrial producer of biodiesel, bioethanol and biomethane in Europe. The company employs around 1,000 people at its sites in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg, as well as at its foreign subsidiaries in India, the USA, Canada, Poland and Hungary. VERBIO relies on innovative technologies developed in-house and efficient, energy-saving production processes. VERBIO's biofuels achieve CO2 savings of up to 90 percent compared to gasoline or diesel. The production capacity is around 660,000 tons of biodiesel, 300,000 tons of bioethanol and 1,300 gigawatt hours of biomethane per year. In addition, VERBIO produces biofertilizers and animal feed for use in agriculture as well as high-quality raw materials for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. With its innovative processes and highly efficient production facilities, VERBIO is one of the technology leaders in the biofuel market. VERBIO shares (ISIN DE000A0JL9W6 / WKN A0JL9W) have been listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since October 2006. www.verbio.de