Dutch Company to Deliver New Biodiesel Plant to Indonesia

A new biodiesel plant developed by the Dutch company FirmTec will be delivered to Waterland company in Bali, Indonesia this month and will operate in September to produce biodiesel using oil from Camelina sativa plant.

The plant uses a proprietary method of biodiesel production invented by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and bought by Waterland. This novel method uses enzymes and ethanol to make the production process much more sustainable. The conventional production process uses methanol which is a petroleum product and therefore less sustainable than the new method.

Waterland grows oil crops along with food crops across Asia using intercropping practices and less synthetic farm chemicals. The company also intends to produce its own ethanol which is needed in the new biodiesel process.

Once operational, the plant will produce biodiesel to power generators that provide electricity for the Bali island. As the demand for sustainable energy continues to rise in Indonesia,  more of these plants are expected to be built. The Indonesian government is providing assistance for the rapid implementation of this type of biodiesel.