The company Biovalue in the Dutch Eemshaven is currently considering whether it would be worthwhile expanding its production of biodiesel. 'The falling price of rapeseed and the increasing demand for biodiesel may make this economically viable', says company director Nico Vos. He thinks that the results of this study will be available next week. The company was set up in September 2007, and initially hoped to produce 500,000 tons of biodiesel by the end of this year. Mr Vos says: 'However, we had to reconsider this plan last October, because the buying price of rapeseed was higher than the price of the biodiesel itself. Then it's simply not worthwhile'.
However, the price of rapeseed has now fallen. 'At the beginning of March rapeseed cost 531 euro per ton. This price has now fallen to 427 euro. Investors have put their stocks on the market. The competition from biodiesel plants in Germany is now also less. These companies used to receive a subsidy from the German government, but this was terminated on 1 January this year.'
Source:SenterNovem
