Jun 13 2008 Evening Gazette

PLANS announced today to build a massive, multi-feed biodiesel plant in Rotterdam could add to biofuels’ producers woes on Teesside.

Neste Oil said its 800,000 t/a facility to produce NExBTL renewable diesel would be ready by 2011.

At £670m, it represents an investment almost three times the largest seen on Teesside, where producers say investors are deterred by impossible trading conditions and the bad press surrounding biofuels.

Neste has already decided to go ahead with a similar-sized plant in Singapore. Together, Neste said the plants will help it achieve its goal of becoming the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel fuel, whose manufacture is based on proprietary technology using a mix of palm oil, rapeseed oil, and animal fat.

It claims NExBTL diesel can be used in all diesel engines.

The company said it was working towards using a completely non-food raw material by 2020, co-operating with more than 20 universities and research institutions.

The plant is to be built in the Maasvlakten area in the western part of the Port of Rotterdam, close to other chemicals plants.

“Rotterdam is Europe’s largest centre of petroleum products and chemicals production, and offers a wide range of dedicated services, as well as port facilities - all of which makes Rotterdam an ideal location for a NExBTL plant,” said president and CEO Risto Rinne.

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