Portuguese biofuel plant upgraded to handle second gen feedstocks

Portuguese company Assunto Importante has upgraded its biodiesel plant in Sines to increase feedstock flexibility and improve biofuel quality so that it meets the requirements of the more stringent quality standard EN 14214/2013.

The project means Assunto Importante will be able to manufacture biodiesel from second generation feedstocks such as animal fat and used cooking oil.

The plant will be able to produce 25,000 tonnes a year of biodiesel that will be consumed by the local mineral oil industry.

The retrofit contract – said to be in the 'single-digit million range' was awarded to biodiesel plant construction company BDI Bioenergy.

'Thanks to our many years of experience in the construction of biodiesel plants, we are in a position to identify the potential improvements that can be made to any plant and then plan and implement customised solutions,' says Edgar Ahn, chief sales officer at BDI.