Topsoe’s innovative HydroFlex® technology selected for CountryMark’s Indiana refinery

Topsoe, a leading global provider of advanced technology and solutions for the energy transition, announced Aug. 5 that it was selected as the renewable diesel technology partner for CountryMark’s Mount Vernon, Indiana, refinery.

CountryMark announced in July that it would begin coprocessing renewable diesel in September.

Located in southwestern Indiana, the refinery processes 35,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

With the addition of Topsoe’s HydroFlex technology, CountryMark aims to produce up to 250,000 barrels (10.5 million gallons) of renewable diesel annually*.

The new unit is expected to enable an annual emission avoidance of approximately 84,500 tons of CO2e—the equivalent of eliminating emissions from more than 186,000 commercial trucking roundtrips between Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.

CountryMark, a farmer-owned cooperative, will utilize local soybean oil as the primary feedstock to produce renewable diesel, helping create a locally sourced renewable fuel economy in Indiana.

“Our collaboration with CountryMark goes back many years,” said Henrik Rasmussen, the managing director of Topsoe Americas.

“With demand for renewable diesel continuing to grow, we’re excited to partner with CountryMark on their journey to produce cleaner fuels and contribute to America’s low-carbon energy future,” Rasmussen said.

Matt Smorch, CountryMark’s president and CEO, added, “We saw this as an opportunity to deliver increased value to CountryMark diesel fuel buyers, increase the demand for Indiana agricultural products, and add value to our refining assets.”

Since 2010, HydroFlex has been a proven technology for the production of renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Renewable fuels offer an efficient, commercially scalable pathway to reduce emissions associated with hard-to-abate sectors like heavy-duty transport and aviation.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. renewable diesel consumption reached 3.1 billion gallons in 2023.

Renewable diesel now accounts for over 5 percent of total U.S. diesel demand—and that share is expected to grow.

With HydroFlex, customers can convert various fats, oils and greases into drop-in renewable jet and diesel that meet all globally accepted specifications for these fuels.

Topsoe’s HydroFlex can be deployed in both grassroots units and revamps for coprocessing or fully renewable applications.

*Editor’s Note: In July CountryMark stated it will have the potential to use up to 20 million gallons of refined, bleached and deodorized soybean oil per year.