UK based FCL Biofuels and Portuguese fuel company Prio SA have joined forces to launch the Portuguese consumer biodiesel brand, PrioBio, in the UK. PrioBio is scheduled to be available in the UK from 1st November. By the end of this year (2007), says FCL Biofuel, the partnership’s two biodiesel refineries will have a total capacity of 200,000 tonnes which will is set to grow to 400,000 tonnes by the end of 2010.

"We believe the opportunities and challenges posed by changing the way we live to make for a more sustainable environment are the modern equivalent to the industrial revolution," said Colin Walker, managing director of FCL Biofuels. 

"The UK's RTFO (Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation Programme) is the minimum our governments need to be doing to move us into a more sustainable future.  We see ourselves as the ideal biofuels partner because we control the whole supply chain - from plant to pump.  We plant the seed, grow it, harvest it, and refine it in one of two, specialist, European-based biodiesel refineries.  We then deliver it through our in-house logistics and it's all backed up with our sales and marketing. 

"Because the vast majority of our feedstock is grown in Europe, the carbon footprint of our biodiesel is much less than biodiesels refined from feedstock imported from the Far East.  It also means we're doing our utmost to protect rainforests by using as much European agricultural land as possible to fuel European vehicles.  The crops we grow are mostly indigenous - sunflowers in Portugal and rapeseed in Romania," said Walker.

Carlos Martins, CEO of the Martifer group, Prio's parent company, said, "The partnership with FCL shows our clear commitment in developing the biodiesel market in the UK. The European Union has agreed that road transport fuel suppliers should ensure an increasing percentage of their sales come from renewable sources.  Through its directive on biofuels, the EU has set a target of 5.75% usage by 2010.  Biodiesel has major advantages:  it helps reduce global warming gas emissions, it's biodegradable, non toxic and does not contain sulphur.  We are convinced the commitment to reducing the environmental impact of road transportation by introducing mandatory blending in Europe is a trend that we will witness in a growing number of countries."