Cemvita successfully scaled FermOil™ production to 75,000 liters, converting crude glycerin into renewable oil and advancing commercialization efforts globally.
Cemvita, a Houston-based industrial biotechnology company, has successfully completed a large-scale fermentation campaign for the production of its proprietary FermOil™ renewable oil, marking a significant advancement in sustainable fuel manufacturing. Conducted at the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, the campaign utilized a 75,000-liter industrial fermentation system and achieved all targeted technical performance metrics while producing Renewable Natural Oil (RNO) from industrial crude glycerin.
This accomplishment represents one of the most important technological milestones in Cemvita’s development journey. More importantly, it confirms that the company’s biomanufacturing platform can be effectively scaled from laboratory research to industrial production without compromising performance. Over the past several years, Cemvita has methodically expanded its fermentation process through a series of increasingly larger production stages. The technology was first validated in laboratory-scale systems before progressing through 2-liter, 30-liter, 1,500-liter, and 15,000-liter fermentation campaigns. The successful transition to a 75,000-liter demonstration scale highlights the robustness and reliability of the process.
What makes this achievement particularly noteworthy is the choice of feedstock. While many bio-oil production technologies depend on sugar-based raw materials, Cemvita has developed a process that utilizes crude glycerin, a low-value byproduct generated during biodiesel production. By converting this industrial waste stream into valuable renewable oils, the company creates an opportunity to improve resource efficiency while supporting circular economy principles. The successful demonstration also substantially reduces concerns associated with commercial scale-up. Maintaining stable operational performance across a 2,500-fold increase in fermentation volume demonstrates that the technology can operate consistently under industrial conditions and provides confidence for future commercial deployment.
The crude glycerin used during the campaign was supplied by an industry partner, illustrating how the technology can be integrated directly into existing biodiesel production networks. This compatibility creates opportunities for biodiesel producers to transform waste streams into additional revenue-generating products while improving overall plant economics.
According to Cemvita CEO Moji Karimi, one of the greatest challenges in industrial biotechnology is not proving scientific concepts in the laboratory but ensuring that those concepts perform reliably at industrially relevant scales. He emphasized that achieving the company’s target metrics at 75,000 liters validates both the durability of the platform and its readiness for commercialization. Karimi also highlighted the broader significance of the technology, noting that carbon-rich waste streams such as crude glycerin can serve as scalable feedstocks for future generations of sustainable fuels and bio-based products.
Luciano Zamberlan, Cemvita’s Vice President of Engineering, described the campaign as a strong validation of the company’s scale-up strategy. He noted that the fermentation control systems remained stable throughout multiple production runs and that performance remained consistent from small pilot reactors through the 75,000-liter facility. Such reproducibility is a key factor in building confidence for commercial-scale deployment.
The achievement was also praised by Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant. Hendrik Waegeman, Head of Business Operations, stated that the successful operation at such a large scale demonstrates both the maturity of the technology and the effectiveness of Cemvita’s scale-up approach. He emphasized that using crude glycerin as the feedstock further showcases the innovative nature of the project.
FermOil™ has been specifically developed as a Renewable Natural Oil compatible with existing Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) and co-processing infrastructure commonly used in the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other renewable fuels. Because it can be integrated into existing refining systems, the technology offers a practical pathway for rapid adoption without requiring significant new downstream investments.
The feedstock itself carries additional strategic value. Crude glycerin is included under RED III Annex IX Part A, a category of advanced feedstocks that European decarbonization policies increasingly prioritize. As demand for Sustainable Aviation Fuel grows across Europe, advanced waste-derived feedstocks such as crude glycerin are expected to play an increasingly important role in reducing emissions and supporting renewable fuel targets.
The successful demonstration supports Cemvita’s broader vision of creating circular bioeconomy infrastructure for biodiesel producers, refiners, and industrial partners worldwide. Through the deployment of its FermWorks™ facilities, biodiesel plants can convert underutilized glycerin byproducts into premium renewable oils, improving carbon efficiency while generating additional value throughout the supply chain.
Karimi described the achievement as more than a fermentation success, calling it a model for transforming existing industrial facilities into circular bioeconomy hubs. He noted that every biodiesel plant producing crude glycerin could potentially become a renewable natural oil production site.
Building on this milestone, Cemvita is actively pursuing commercialization opportunities and is currently engaged in discussions with strategic partners across Brazil, the European Union, and the United Kingdom to accelerate market deployment of the technology.
