INEOS Enterprises is planning to double its biodiesel production capacity at its facility in Verdun, France by 2008. The company will invest over €70 million in the expansion, which will be split between INEOS and its local partners. The increased capacity will allow for the transformation of 400,000 tonnes of locally produced rapeseed into oil and then biodiesel. This investment is in response to the French government's commitment to increase the use of "green" fuels in the country. INEOS hopes to increase its quota to supply the French market with biodiesel before the end of the year.
The new biodiesel facility, in the heart of France’s second largest vegetable oil producing region, will be served by a new grain crushing and vegetable oil refining plant. This will allow 400,000 tonnes of locally produced rapeseed to be transformed into oil and then biodiesel.
The investment of over Euros 70 million will be split between INEOS and its local partners.
This investment is in response to the French government’s commitment to increase significantly the proportion of “green” fuels used over the coming years. In March 2005, the site obtained a quota to supply the French market with 40,000 tonnes pa, which it hopes to increase before the year-end during the next round of quotas.