Catalytic processing of glycerol to fuels and chemicals

C.R. APESTEGUÍA

Trieste, Italia

Workshop; Whorkshop on Next Generation Biofuels and bio-based Chemicals; 2009

Traditional uses of glycerol include cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, explosives and as antifreeze. However, the increasing production of biodiesel around the world generates a glycerol surplus that is becoming a matter of economic and environmental concern since the drop of the glycerol price has forced the producers to burn or sell glycerol without even refine it.  Thus, new applications intended to convert glycerol into value-added chemicals are highly desirable not only to improve the economics of biodiesel production but also for ecological reasons.