VTTI, who specialise in energy infrastructure, and Connex, a renewable feedstocks trader, are joining forces to develop a renewable feedstock or ‘greenstock’ pre-treatment facility at VTTI’s terminal in Amsterdam (ETA). Once completed, the facility will be able to process over 400 000 tpy of renewable feedstock to enable the production of sustainable fuels, giving customers additional options for pre-treatment services in Northern Europe.
Renewable feedstocks can be stored, blended, and pre-treated at the greenstock pre-treatment facility (GPF) in preparation for the transport and eventual production of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by customers. The facility intends to be operational by 2027.
The project combines the market and technology capabilities of Connex with the energy infrastructure development, logistics and storage experience of VTTI.
Connex, headquartered in Rotterdam, trades renewable feedstocks such as animal fats, used cooking oil (UCO), brown grease and other advanced waste and residue streams. These sustainable feedstocks are processed into components needed for biofuel production, such as renewable diesel and SAF.
VTTI, also headquartered in Rotterdam, develops and operates energy infrastructure, including energy storage terminals, RNG facilities and LNG regasification terminals. The company is a provider of liquid bulk energy fuel storage and handling services around the world. In the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA)region, VTTI operates an energy storage terminal at each location. For the project, VTTI’s terminal in Amsterdam will offer 70 000 m³ of dedicated tank storage on site, offering flexibility in loading and discharging, infrastructure, and quality control.
They will offer customers flexibility in aggregating, blending, and full pre-treatment services for a range of renewable feedstocks, such as used cooking oil, animal fats (CAT 1,2 and 3) and other advanced waste and residues.
Bram van Santen, Corporate Director of Connex, says: “The demand for feedstocks to make SAF and HVO will triple in the coming years. The greenstock pretreatment facility’s location close to refineries and transport and population centers will make it ideally placed to meet this rising demand. Effective pre-treatment will be a significant enabler of cleaner fuel in the future.”
Jaap Koomen, Senior Vice President and Head of Country for VTTI in the Netherlands, says: “In Amsterdam, this facility, along with the efforts we have already made to ensure the terminal stores at least 50% renewable energy by 2025, will be a contributor towards helping the Port of Amsterdam reach its goal to be one of the most sustainable ports in Europe by 2030.”
In addition to storage and processing of sustainable feedstocks, the new facility will operate using technologies for energy efficiency and sustainability. Currently, the site is being prepared for permitting and construction.