Shell to build massive bio-fuel plant in Rotterdam

Shell plans to build one of the largest bio-fuel plants in Europe on the site of the Pernis oil refinery in Rotterdam. At the plant, the Dutch oil and gas giant plans to produce sustainable jet fuel and renewable diesel from waste. This must contribute to Shell's plans to achieve zero net CO2 emissions by 2050, Shell announced on Thursday, Financieele Dagblad reports.

Shell expects that renewable diesel from the new factory will prevent 2.8 million tons of CO2 emissions per year - equivalent to taking over a million cars off the European roads, according to the company.

The new plant, which will cost millions to build and will have a total production capacity of 820 thousand tons of fuel per year, should be operation by 2024. The company plans to capture CO2 emissions from the plant's production process and store it in an empty gas field under the North Sea.

The new bio-refinery will produce low-carbon fuels from waste like cooking fat, animal fat and other residual products. According to Shell, more than half of the refinery's total capacity will be used for sustainable jet fuel. The rest for renewable diesel. 

"Thursday's announcement is an important part of the transformation of one of our largest refineries into an energy and chemical park," said Huibert Vigeveno, director of the Shell division responsible for refineries. In the coming years, Shell wants to reduce its 14 oil refineries worldwide to five large energy and chemical parks.