Solid Energy to tap Sasol technology

New Zealand’s Solid Energy is looking to South African company, Sasol, for possible technology it could use to turn Southland lignite into diesel fuel. It could be used to convert the 600 million tons of lignite Solid Energy has access to in Southland into diesel fuel and other transport fuels. The company says it will be at least five years before it makes a firm decision whether to proceed with a lignite-to-liquid fuels project and, if it does go ahead, it will probably be 2105 before the first fuel starts flowing. Solid Energy Communications Director Vicki Blyth says Solid Energy is proposing a plant that could produce up to 40,000 barrels of high-quality diesel fuel a day, more than 40% of New Zealands entire diesel fuel needs by 2015. (August 22, 2007)