Neste’s biodiesel plant to be fully operational in 6 months

Finland’s Neste Oil expects its renewable diesel plant in Singapore to reach full capacity in six months, according to Chief Executive Matti Lievonen. “It is a big refinery and we want to proceed slowly and see how it works and see if there are any bottlenecks,” Lievonen told Reuters in an interview. The company has two biodiesel lines in Porvoo, Finland, and started the world’s largest renewable diesel plant in Singapore in mid-November. It has invested some €1.4 billion (US$1.9 billion) in renewable fuels and is building another facility in Rotterdam, Europe’s biggest port. The plant, similar to the one in Singapore, is scheduled to start towards the end of the first half of 2011 and is seen costing less than the original €640 million (US$833.25 million) budget. (December 3, 2010)