Biodiesel Refinery In Romania
Biodiesel Refinery In Romania
Author: Luiza Nitoi, luiza.nitoi@mediaon.ro
The Portuguese Martifer Trust will produce ecological vegetable oil fuel in Romania, and EUR 47 million will be invested in the construction of a refinery and AN oil extraction plant.
The biodiesel refinery will be built in Lehliu Gara, in the county of Calarasi (southern Romania), where 10 hectares of urban land have already been bought. The location was chosen due to the fact that the area allows for the cultivation of rape and sunflower crops, which are raw materials for ecologic fuel. “We have chosen to build the refinery in Romania because of its vast agricultural area, fertile fields, and low acquisition prices and the EU accession perspective”, says Carlos Gil, Manager of Biomart Romania, member of the Martifer Trust. The trust intends to invest a further EUR 25 million to buy and efficiently exploit 50,000 field hectares over the next 6 years. This is the minimum necessary for the production capacity to work. Until it can purchase its own fields, the company will buy the seed production of some 150,000 hectares.
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel, totally non-pollutant, and used for diesel engines mixed with diesel oil. In 2004 the biodiesel production in Europe stood at 2 million tons. As a result of the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union urged member states to ensure that at least 2% of its fuel should be ecological by the end of 2005, and by 2020 it should reach 20%. Only Germany, France, Italy and Austria have observed these recommendations to date, says Gil Carlos. According to him Martifer’s refinery in Romania will have a daily production capacity of 300 tons (100,000 tons/year), to cover 30% of the internal need for ecological fuel. The estimated annual turnover will be EUR 80 million. The President of the National Agency for Foreign Investment, Ana Maria Cristina, says that there are other foreign companies interested in producing biodiesel in Romania although until now the Martifer Trust is the only one that has followed through with its intentions. The Martifer representative indicated that, according to some information he holds, rape crops in Romania can be extended to 2 million hectares, and he recommends that the Ministry of the Agriculture - account take this extension crops into consideration. The Romanian rape crop in the 2004-2005 agricultural year, stood at 100,000 hectares.
The Martifer Trust was created in 1990 and has an annual turnover of EUR 125 million, 30% grater than last year. It has invested in Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, and Slovakia in various fields, such as metall constructions, energy production and real estate. In Romania, Martifer began its activities through three companies: Biomart and Agromart, involved in the biodiesel refinery project, and Martifer Energy, that deals with the production of wind energy. A fourth company, Martifer Construct (metall constructions), will begin its activity next year. The trust intends to penetrate the Romanian real estate market with a EUR 50 million investment.
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