New biofuels plant to be set up in Gabon

Olam Palm is setting up a new plant producing biofuel from palm oil in Gabon.
The Singapore-based multinational firm will construct the plant in the southern part of Libreville, on an area of five ha not far from the port, after obtaining all the regulatory authorisations for the production of biofuel in the African country.
The site was picked because it offers easy access for importing equipment and exporting by-products from palm oil processing.
The construction and commissioning of this biodiesel plant should provide hundreds of direct and indirect jobs.
For the government, the production of biofuel will be less polluting and will also strengthen the competitiveness of the palm oil sector as the country concentrates more on the preservation of the environment and the fight against climate change.
Olam Palm firmly believes that this project will bring Gabon into a new era.
The company already operates a consumer oil packaging unit with a capacity of 200 tonnes, in addition to a palm oil refinery with a production capacity of 750 tonnes a day in the country.
A company spokesman said: “It presents itself as the largest sustainable producer of palm oil on a concession with a total area of 202,000 ha in Gabon.”