Speaking to letsrecycle.com today, Swansea company Bio Wales revealed that by December, the Fforestfach site on the M4 will be capable of processing 30 million litres of vegetable oil a year into renewable transport fuel.
 The new facility in Swansea is believed to be the largest biodiesel plant in Wales |
The company said that it has already received a “loads and loads” of interest from Welsh companies and local authorities with the help of the Wales Environment Trust.
It has won various contracts including an agreement to supply Cardiff council with biodiesel for around 30% of the city's utility vehicles.
Ken Casey, project manager at the plant, said: “The response from companies and authorities in Wales has been staggering. Every hauler who visits us wants to know when they can get some biodiesel as their principal concerns are cost –biodiesel is 3 or 4 pence cheaper a litre than conventional fuel.”
Process
The Swansea plant will take waste vegetable oil from the catering industry from all over England and one supplier in Wales. It will convert the oil through a series of chemical processes, using technology designed by North Wales consultancy Moulson Chem Plant.
Bio Wales hopes to produce around 600-800 tonnes of fuel in January and 10 million tonnes by the end of 2007.
Managing director Llyr ab Islwyn said: “I’m proud to see the site finally taking shape, it means we are moving quickly towards getting production started and then we will be the first company in Wales to produce bio-diesel commercially on this scale.
He added: “Biodiesel is great on fuel consumption, it will run in most diesel engines and there is no need for any modifications to vehicles so it should be the fuel of choice.”
Attractive
Since 2002, the duty on biodiesel has dropped by 20p and used vegetable oil has been banned from animal feed, making it more economically viable to produce (see letsrecycle.com story). As a result, biodiesel production in England is estimated to have almost trebled over the last year and is expected to increase further when duty is cut by a further 15p in 2008/09.
Mr ab Islwyn said: “With the start of this plant, we hope to emulate the English and bring Wales to the forefront of biodiesel production.”
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