Bolivia’s first biodiesel plant in operation

Bolivia’s first biodiesel production plant has started operating in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
The Government said that the new undertaking will generate up to $100 million (€92 million) in savings on fossil fuel imports.
“This plant will produce ecological diesel and will have established a certain mixture with fossil diesel for its commercialisation,” said President Luis Arce Catacora.
The head of state also pointed out that the initiative sought to expand the possibility of blending anhydrous alcohol (ethanol) with gasoline and also mix ecological diesel with the imported fluid.
According to Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB), the Biodiesel I Plant required an investment of $47 million (€43 million) and will process 1,500 barrels of biodiesel daily with raw material from vegetable oils such as macororo, palm and soybean.
Bolivia only has soybean as raw material but lacks the jatropha or macoró crops to generate the 70,000 tons of vegetable oil per annum required for this plant.