Integrated Biodiesel Industries to build third plant in Argentina, with planned capacity of 38 Mgy

April 30, 2008

In Argentina, Integrated Biodiesel Industries announced it would build a third Argentine plant, by retrofitting the Imperial Chemical plant in San Lorenzo, 180 miles north of Buenos Aires. The plant is expected to open this November with a planned initial capacity of 14 Mgy, and expanding to 38 Mgy by the end of 2009.

In Argentina, director of the Argentine Association of Biofuels and Hydrogen predicted exponential growth of biodiesel. Claudio Molina projected that exports will increase to $1.1 billion, up from 268 million in 2007. The opening of seven new plants, at a cost of $400 million, is credited with the increase, as production capacity increases to 1.6 million tonnes this year with the opening of a 300,000 tonne Louis Dreyfus plant in Santa Fe province.

By contrast, in Argentina, a restriction on beef exports aimed at reducing local beef prices has led to a conversion of 10 percent of Argentine ranchlands to soybean production.

Soybean is not subject to export or price controls and 50 percent of all cultivated land in Argentina is used to grow soybeans. 90 percent of the crop is exported.

Last year, the Argentine federal government increased the export tax on soybeans, soy products and corn, but exempted biofuels from increases. This move is expected to spur exports of Argentine biodiesel and ethanol to the EU and the US. The province of Santa Fe, which hosts most of the major biodiesel plants, has additional incentives in place.

The fast-growing Argentine biodiesel industry features facilities built by Unitec Bio, Molinos Rio de la Plata, Louis Dreyfus, Patagonia Bioenergia, Explora and GEA Biodiesel among others. Companies such as Royal Caribbean have been procuring biodiesel from Argentina in recent months.

AE Biofuels, DS Development to construct 75 Mgy soy biodiesel plant in Argentina

In Argentina, AE Biofuels announced an agreement with DS Development to jointly construct and operate a 75 Mgy soy biodiesel plant in Rosario, the center of the Argentine biodiesel industry. The compa...

17 Mgy biodiesel plant announced for Rosario, Argentina

In Argentina, Integrated Biodiesel Industries signed a letter of intent to construct a 17 Mgy biodiesel plant in Rosario. Argentine investors will also participate in the $3.5 million financing. IBI r...

2nd generation biodiesel plant to open in Germany: 57 Mgy plant uses wood waste products as feedstock; four more planned

In Germany, Choren Industries announced that it will build a 57 Mgy biodiesel plant in Schwedt. The plant, which will open in late 2010, will use a second-generation process, called biomass-to-liquid,...

Biofuel Industries signs with GreenShift to expand capacity 20 Mgy

In Michigan, Biofuel Industries Group has signed an agreement with GreenShift to procure $10 million of proprietary biodiesel equipment, to expand its capacity by 20 Mgy. Biofuels Industries, which do...

Infinity acquires 42 percent of 60 Mgy Brazilian sugarcane ethanol plant for $17 million

In Brazil, Infinity Bio-Energy announced that it purchased 42.31 percent of the 60 Mgy Cridasa Cristal Destilaria Autma de Alcool from up from Cooperativa Mista dos Produtores Rurais de Cristal do Nor...

Three Missouri corn ethanol project plans advance; 320 Mgy in planned capacity

Three Missouri plants are advancing through the planning stage, with a total planned capacity of more than 320 Mgy of corn ethanol. The state of Missouri issued an air permit to Ethanex of SEMO. Th...

Written by Jim Lane · Filed Under International, Producer News