Renewable Diesel and SAF Science & Process
The Technical Side
of Renewable Diesel
See how Valero produces renewable diesel.
See how Valero produces renewable diesel.
Diamond Green Diesel receives feedstocks including primarily animal fat, used cooking oil and inedible corn oil.
Used cooking oil is gathered from restaurants, supermarkets and other foodservice establishments. Recycled animal fats are collected from animal agriculture and food industries.
Inedible corn oil is a byproduct of ethanol production.
Feedstocks can enter the plant through rail, truck or ships and barges.
The waste feedstocks are pretreated to remove metals and impurities and then hydrotreated with high-pressure hydrogen to remove oxygen. The next step is isomerization where cold flow properties are managed to ensure compatibility with existing infrastructure and engines. The final step is fractionation, the separation into finished products.
Renewable diesel is stored until it is shipped to our customers primarily in low-carbon markets such as California, Canada and Europe. It can be transported via pipeline, ship or railcar.
Take a look at what Valero is doing to advance the future of energy with low-carbon fuels.
Renewable diesel is chemically identical to traditional diesel, and can be used anywhere with existing engines, pipelines and other infrastructure.
Renewable diesel has an energy density value equivalent to ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), and meets the ASTM International's Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel (D-975).
Our low-carbon renewable diesel reduces up to 80% life cycle GHG emissions, compared with traditional diesel.
Feedstocks such as used cooking oil, recycled animal fats and inedible corn oil are processed as follows:
Recycled animal fats are collected from supermarkets, butchers, meat processors and other foodservice establishments.
Used cooking oil comes from restaurants, supermarkets and other food service establishments. Inedible corn oil from ethanol plants.
Renewable diesel can be distributed using existing petroleum logistics system.
Learn about our joint venture to produce and supply renewable diesel to low carbon markets.