Europe's largest renewable diesel plant is up and running according to its owner, Neste Oil.
The plant, based in Rotterdam, Holland, has started producing the branded NExBTL renewable biofuel with a planned annual output capacity of 800,000 tonnes. The plant will increase the company's total renewable diesel output to two million tonnes every year, with existing output from operations in Singapore and Finland.
The new site is capable of processing vegetable oil or waste fats to produce premium-quality fuel using Neste's own refining technology. The fuel can either be used as a standalone product or for blending with regular diesel and can, according to Neste, reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 80% over fossil-based diesel. As well as diesel, all of the plants are capable of producing renewable avgas.
The new operation, which employs 150 staff, is part of the company's €1.5bn ($2bn) investment programme in renewable diesel production