Total Starts Production at New Biorefinery in Europe

French oil, gas and low-carbon energy firm Total S.A. recently commenced production at its new biorefinery in Le Mède, France, a release announced Wednesday, marking the completion of the company’s conversion of a former oil refinery. 

First announced in 2015, the €275 million (about $310 million) project added 500,000 tn/yr of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) biofuel capacity, an 8-megawatt solar farm, and a production unit capable of producing 50,000 cu m/yr of AdBlue additives to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in trucks. Total also built a new logistics and storage hub with a capacity of 1.3 million cu m/yr and a training center. 

“Biofuels are a fully renewable and immediately available solution to cut carbon emissions from ground and air transportation. When produced from sustainable raw materials, as at La Mède, they emit over 50% less carbon than fossil fuels. Our biorefinery will allow us to make biofuels in France that were previously imported.”

The facility in La Mède will process bio diesel and biojet fuel from sustainable vegetable oils and treated waste like animal fats and cooking oils. All products made at the site will be certified sustainable according to European Union (EU) standards. 

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