Bio-fuel centre
The Port of Rotterdam has set itself the target of becoming the European centre for the production of bio-diesel and bio-ethanol fuels.
The port of Rotterdam is preparing itself for the EU regulations requiring compulsory addition of 5.75% bio-fuels to petrol and diesel as of 2010 in order to limit CO2 emissions.
The first bio-fuel plants come into operation this year, and seven companies have signed agreements that will allow them to establish the plants or have started building. One company is in the negotiation phase. The joint capacity of the two bio-ethanol plants is 600,000 tons per annum, and for the six plants that will be producing bio-diesel, almost three million tons. Their share in the estimated EU-wide capacity in 2008 will thereby be 10% and 25% respectively.
European centre
“Considerable reductions in CO2 emissions are possible,” says Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO Hans Smits, “and at the same time a tremendous opportunity for Rotterdam and The Netherlands. Globally - and from a strategic point of view - we are strengthening our position as Europe’s most important energy port. The direct economic advantages start with the extra investment of approximately €1.5 billion just in bio-fuels. This brings with it a hefty primary spin-off due to the high-quality technical design and installation work required. At a secondary level, you have the contribution to knowledge of second-generation bio-fuel plants. The pipe system for the transportation of CO2 falls under the innovations that The Netherlands can build on in order to get a head start. Finally, the chemical cluster benefits from the by-products of bio-fuels”. In this way, the port of Rotterdam is becoming one of the most important European centers for the production of bio-fuels, i.e. biodiesel and bio-ethanol. Here, the supply of raw materials from abroad using the biggest sea vessels is relatively cheap, and the bio-component can easily be mixed in with the petrol and diesel from ‘conventional’ oil refineries via the pipe system. Inland shipping and rail transport, and in particular the Betuwe Route, all ensure the optimal transportation of the final product to, and raw materials from, the hinterland. A large, flexible trading market will also come about, because bio-fuels can be supplied from other large production centres such as in Spain and North and South America using large sea vessels. Finally, by-products, such as glycerine from bio-diesel production, are sold as raw materials to existing and future chemical plants.
Second generation
The raw materials for bio-fuels are at present mostly rape seed, cole seed, grains, palm nuts, soya beans, sugar cane and jatropha nuts. Their geographical origins are spread out over Asia, Africa, North and South America, Central Europe, Germany, France and Spain. In a future phase, harder, non-edible substances such as wood chips, stalks, stems and peels will be used. In Rotterdam and elsewhere, the treatment processes for this will be upgraded to ‘second generation’ plant level over the years to come. Eventually, the aim is to use the whole plant, including the roots, in the most effective manner for food, fuel and raw materials for the yet-to-be-developed biochemical industry.
|
Company |
Location |
Capacity ton/annum |
Product |
Generation |
|
Dutch Bio-diesel |
Pernis |
250,000 |
bio-diesel |
I |
|
Wheb Bio-fuels |
Pernis |
400,000 |
bio-diesel |
I |
|
Bio-petrol |
Botlek |
400,000 |
bio-diesel |
I |
|
BER |
Botlek |
110,000 |
bio-ethanol |
I/II |
|
Abengoa |
Europoort |
450,000 |
bio-ethanol |
I |
|
NN |
Europoort |
500,000 |
bio-diesel |
I |
|
NN |
Maasvlakte |
- |
bio-diesel |
I/II |
Table 1: At the beginning of 2008, the following plants are either in development or under construction in Rotterdam: