Cargill invests nearly $150M to expand biodiesel production in North Sea Port

In the Netherlands, Cargill is pumping more than 125 million euros (nearly $150 million) into the construction of a new factory at its Ghent site to produce biodiesel from waste and residues.

Cargill already produces biodiesel from oilseeds in Ghent at its subsidiary Bioro. This will be joined by a brand-new factory which represents a step forward in sustainability and circularity. It will be the first in Europe able to produce biodiesel from raw materials such as fatty acids resulting from the refining of vegetable oils, liquid residues from industrial processes and even fat from sewage sludge, according to the press release.

In this way, the group is responding to new trends and regulations. “The new European directive puts the transition to advanced biofuels from waste and residues high on the agenda. There will be increasing demand for plants capable of processing more complex raw materials”, says Roger Janson, head of Agricultural Supply Chain.

It brings the completion of the cycle a little closer. “The plant uses recycled products that would previously have been discarded or used for low-value applications”, points out Alexis Cazin, managing director of Cargill Biodiesel. The new biodiesel can be blended into fuel for trucks or ships.