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Understanding the glycerol market
Author(s) -
Ciriminna Rosaria,
Pina Cristina Della,
Rossi Michele,
Pagliaro Mario
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
european journal of lipid science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.614
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1438-9312
pISSN - 1438-7697
DOI - 10.1002/ejlt.201400229
Subject(s) - glycerol , biodiesel , raw material , biodiesel production , animal fat , pulp and paper industry , business , chemistry , food science , organic chemistry , catalysis , engineering
As a result of the booming biodiesel and oleochemicals manufacturing taking place worldwide since more than a decade, 2 million tonnes of glycerol consistently reach the market every year, even though after a decade of growth the total glycerol supply is expected to slightly decrease in 2014. Today the supply of glycerol is entirely independent of its demand, as there is as much glycerol as the amount of vegetable oils and animal fats are hydrolyzed to make oleochemicals, or transesterified to produce biodiesel. This unique situation has led to consistently low glycerol prices, which initiated both the market penetration of glycerol in countries where it was not used due to traditional high price, as well as new uses of glycerol as raw material for the production of value added chemicals. This article sheds light on the market of this uniquely versatile chemical whose number of applications is unique amid all existing chemicals. About 2 million tonnes of glycerol consistently reach the market every year, even though after a decade of growth the total glycerol supply is expected to slightly decrease in 2014. Today the supply of glycerol is entirely independent of its demand, as there is as much glycerol as the amount of vegetable oils and animal fats are hydrolyzed to make oleochemicals, or transesterified to produce biodiesel. This article sheds light on the market of this uniquely versatile chemical whose number of applications is unique amid all existing chemicals.