From Catalytic Concepts to Industrial Practice: Enabling Scalable Pathways for Biodiesel and Biolubricant Production

The transition toward a low‑carbon and resource‑efficient economy has renewed global interest in bio‑based fuels and products as sustainable alternatives to fossil‑derived counterparts. Among them, biodiesel remains one of the most mature and widely implemented biofuels, offering immediate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, compatibility with existing infrastructure, and flexibility in feedstock selection. In parallel, bio‑based products such as biolubricants represent high‑value alternatives with superior biodegradability and reduced toxicity, playing a crucial role in improving the overall economics and sustainability of bio‑based value chains.

Catalysis is central to the efficient production of both biodiesel and biolubricants, enabling the conversion of renewable lipids into fuels and functional molecules under economically viable conditions. Over the last decades, catalytic research has evolved along three main lines. Fundamental catalysis has provided essential insights into reaction mechanisms, active sites, and structure–activity relationships, forming the basis for rational catalyst design. Advanced applied catalysis has focused on developing efficient and selective catalytic systems, including heterogeneous, bifunctional, and bio‑derived catalysts capable of processing low‑quality or waste feedstocks.

However, current research increasingly recognizes that the primary bottleneck lies not in activity or selectivity, but in scalability and practical deployment. Catalysis for technology transfer and industrial implementation has therefore emerged as a central research priority, emphasizing catalyst stability, resistance to real feedstocks, compatibility with continuous reactors, and integration into existing industrial processes. By shifting the focus from laboratory performance to long‑term operability and process viability, this approach is essential to translating catalytic advances into competitive, scalable, and sustainable biodiesel and biolubricant technologies.

The aim of this presentation is to cover the foundations of current trends in catalytic biodiesel and biolubricant production, focusing on fundamental catalysis, advanced applied catalysis and, especially, technology transfer and industrial implementation.