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Natural Fuels was given the green light earlier this month to build Australia’s biggest biodiesel plant at near the Darwin port and adjacent to Vopak’s $A55 million Darwin Industry Fuel Terminal.
Vopak will sub-lease part of the land to Natural Fuels for the development of a $A48 million biodiesel production facility.
Vopak will also spend an additional $27 million to construct associated storage facilities on the remaining land and a pipeline connection to Darwin Port’s bulk liquids berth.
Both facilities will use the new bulk liquids berth and Darwin Port’s pipeline corridor.
Natural Fuels has also commissioned a three-month trial by Charles Darwin University (CDU) to test the benefits of biodiesel in other areas where heavy diesel is used.
“Natural Fuels wants a number of independent tests carried with a variety of reference groups to highlight the benefits of their product – it will be used as a marketing tool,” Northern Territory chief minister Clare Martin said.
The biodiesel facility is expected to be completed in September 2006, while the Darwin Industry Fuel Terminal is nearing completion and the first shipment is scheduled for August 16 2005. The latter is being constructed by Abigroup Contractors/Simon Engineering.
The bulk of the biodiesel produced at the 130,000-tonne-per-annum facility will be exported to southern states and overseas.
