ol ▁has ▁to ▁be ▁pur ified , ▁typically ▁by ▁performing ▁vac u um ▁dist ill ation . ▁This ▁is ▁rather ▁energy ▁int ensive . ▁The ▁ref ined ▁g ly cer ol ▁( 9 8 % + ▁pur ity ) ▁can ▁then ▁be ▁util ised ▁directly , ▁or ▁converted ▁into ▁other ▁products . ▁The ▁following ▁announ c ements ▁were ▁made ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 : ▁A ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁of ▁Ash land ▁Inc . ▁and ▁C arg ill ▁announced ▁plans ▁to ▁make ▁pro py l ene ▁g ly col ▁in ▁Europe ▁from ▁g ly cer ol ▁and ▁Dow ▁Chem ical ▁announced ▁similar ▁plans ▁for ▁North ▁America . ▁Dow ▁also ▁plans ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁plant ▁in ▁China ▁to ▁make ▁ep ich lor h yd rin ▁from ▁g ly cer ol . ▁Ep ich lor h yd rin ▁is ▁a ▁raw ▁material ▁for ▁epo xy ▁res ins . ▁ ▁Production ▁levels ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁b iod ies el ▁production ▁capacity ▁was ▁growing ▁rapidly , ▁with ▁an ▁average ▁annual ▁growth ▁rate ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 2 – 0 6 ▁of ▁over ▁ 4 0 %. ▁For ▁the ▁year ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁latest ▁for ▁which ▁actual ▁production ▁figures ▁could ▁be ▁obtained , ▁total ▁world ▁b iod ies el ▁production ▁was ▁about ▁ 5 – 6   mill ion ▁t onnes , ▁with ▁ 4 . 9   mill ion ▁t onnes ▁processed ▁in ▁Europe ▁( of ▁which ▁ 2 . 7   mill ion ▁t onnes