Flex Fuels' Wales biodiesel refinery approved

18 December 2007 03:50  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--UK-based Flex Fuels Energy said late on Monday that it has received final approval to build a 200,000 tonne/year biodiesel refinery in Cardiff, Wales.

The outline planning approval, received by the company last Tuesday, is the last major planning requirement, Flex Fuels said in a statement.

The outputs from an early works agreement (EWA) with Germany’s Lurgi, announced on 5 October, are expected to provide the detail required to complete the refinery planning and the integrated pollution prevention control consents early in 2008, it added.

The company did not say, however, when it expects the plant to start up.

This latest approval follows on from earlier full permissions granted for the construction of an oilseed crush and solvent extraction plant, which has enabled the company to proceed with the development of its proposed refinery.

Flex Fuels expects the current low levels of demand for biodiesel to grow considerably after the introduction of the UK Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RFTO) legislation, and said its proposed new plant will be poised to meet this growth.

Under the RFTO, suppliers will be required to initially blend 2.5% by volume of biofuels into all road transport fuels from April 2008, which will increase to 5% in April 2010.

By: Jeanne Lim
+65 6780 4359

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