Ecoceres CEO: New Malaysian plant nearing full capacity at new biofuels firm Ecoceres
Ecoceres, a biofuel producer in Malaysia, said that its new plant for converting used cooking oil to sustainable aviation fuel was running at nearly full capacity.
The plant is located at Tanjung Langsat, Johor Bahru, near Singapore, and produces up to 420,000 tons of SAF per year, as well as hydrotreated vegetable oils, also known as renewable fuels, as well as bio-naphtha.
Ecoceres 'CEO Matti Lievonen stated at the inauguration of the plant that it is operating at 95% capacity.
Ecoceres - jointly owned by Hong Kong City Gas Company Towngas and U.S. based Bain Capital -?exported their first SAF cargo in December to Europe. According to Lievonen, Europe accounted for a large part of the demand.
The company is also keeping an eye on Asia, as countries like Singapore, South Korea, and Japan are introducing green aviation fuel mandates. Malaysia is looking at a possible mandate of?1% SAF blend.
Ecoceres has been operating a biofuel plant in East China since 2021. It now supplies?airlines like Air New Zealand and Qantas as well as Air France, Lufthansa, and Air France directly rather than going through traders.
He added that the majority of feedstock is sourced from China, Malaysia, and other countries in?Southeast Asia. Ecoceres’ Zhangjiagang Plant, which?can make up to 350,000 tpy SAF and HVO Lievonen stated, has won government export quotas.
He added that Ecoceres was planning a third facility, but did not specify where. Reporting by Trixie YAP and Aizhu CHAN; Editing Kirsten Donovan
(source: Reuters)
