Biodiesel Producers' new US $21 million Barnawartha, Victoria biodiesel plant is on schedule. Yesterday, Biodiesel Producers managing director Andrew White said the weather had blessed the project. “I’m a rural bloke so I’d like to see a bit of rain but certainly the extended dry has helped us during construction,” he said.

 

“We are on track and things will really jump out of the ground in the next three months. The earthworks part of the project is always a little slow but things are beginning to take shape. The number of workers on site will go up to 40 or 50 as we progress.”

Biodiesel Producers hope to complete construction by November 2006 and produce their first batch of fuel by February 2007. Concreters this week were completing the last base for a tank farm that will house raw materials and the finished fuel.

The Baranwartha plant had some issues in the early stages of planning. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally approved the planning application last year. It was the final piece in an approval puzzle that has taken more than 18 months.

In December 2005, Indigo council approved the development plan less than a month after having the land rezoned for Biodiesel Producers.

Earlier in the year, the project had been put on hold after planning approvals were vetoed by a state appeals tribunal.

Managing director Andrew White said “We are certainly happy to be at this stage of the process. It has probably taken a little longer than we first thought but I believe we have met the expectations of the authorities and the community.”

Indigo council chief executive Peter Costello said the go-ahead was a win for the region and community consultation.

“It will create 24 jobs and generate substantial income for the local economy,” he said. "It has also been a win for the community reference panel that has overseen the most recent plans for the manufacturing plant. It has been a tricky process, with people of different views but they have been able to have their say and forward the agreed recommendations to council.”

The plant, on Pleming Rd, will also source some of the raw product from an existing meat rendering works that adjoins the property.

In full operation it will produce 60 million litres of biodiesel a year.

David Smith, Singapore