SGP BioEnergy To Generate Green Hydrogen in World’s Largest Biofuel Facility

The US-based SGP BioEnergy has announced the addition of green hydrogen production to the largest planned advanced bio refinery in the world – Biorefineria Ciudad Dorada (Golden City Biorefinery), located in Colon and Balboa, Panama –  that will help the facility to operate with net-zero emissions.

The official statement of the company held that the facility construction is on schedule for Phase 1 production to begin in 2025, with all land rights secured to allow for the groundbreaking of physical construction in 2023.  Once fully operational the biorefinery will produce 180,000 barrels per day or 2.6 billion gallons per year of biofuel. It will also generate 405,000 metric tons of green hydrogen annually.

Randy Delbert Letang, CEO, SGP BioEnergy, stated, “It is the first time both advanced biofuels and green hydrogen will be produced together at this scale, and we are excited to be bringing this innovation to Panama.”

SGP BioEnergy said that multiple partners joined the groundbreaking ceremony including Gustavo Cienfuegos from engineering firm Topsoe, Yasser Williams from Corporacion CSN, S.A., Minister of Commerce and Industries of Panama Federico Alfaro, and Secretary of Energy of Panama Dr. Jorge Rivera Staff.

“It is exciting to see the progress on this facility that will bring more than 1,000 jobs to Panama,” said Minister Alfaro.

Over the last few months, SGP BioEnergy has convened political and industry leaders to ensure that this project stays on schedule and produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel, as well as Renewable Diesel for ground transportation and lower carbon marine fuel.

Technological At Play

SGP BioEnergy said that it also worked with Topsoe to incorporate its HydroFlex and H2 Bridge technologies to produce green hydrogen from the waste carbon and renewable fuels by-products produced during the refining process.

The HydroFlex technology consumes a wide range of biofuel feedstocks including soy, camelina, canola, rapeseed, and hazelnut to refine them into advanced biofuels.  The H2 Bridge technology captures waste propane and carbon off gas from the refining process, converts them into green hydrogen and provides that back to the refining facility to power facility operations.

To finance the project, SGP BioEnergy partnered with Goldman Sachs to identify investors. It found Panama as an ideal partner to support the financial potential of the project given its free zones, commitment to clean energy innovation and global platform to transport the fuels all over the world.