Avril opens 100,000 tpy biodiesel plant in Mediterranean France

French biofuels producer Avril has opened a 100,000 tpy biodiesel plant to meet the higher blending levels issued by the French government.

The new plant, located at Sete on France’s Mediterranean coast, will raise the company’s biodiesel production capacity to 1.7 million tonnes.

Earlier in 2013 Avril shut down its two northern France facilities in the aftermath of the government’s refusal to raise biodiesel blending level beyond 7%.

However, late last year the government agreed to increase the blend level by one percent, bringing it to 8%.

The €13 million Avril plant is set to compete with Total’s planned factory, also to be constructed in southern France and expected to have an output of 500,000 tonnes of biodiesel by 2017.

This competition, along with the French government’s anticipated cut to tax breaks given to diesel fuel, has raised concern among biodiesel producers and farmers.

Avril’s CEO Jean-Philippe Puig says the developments could see several rapeseed-as-feedstock biodiesel plants shut down and even cut rapeseed cultivation in France as general.

Source: Reuters Africa