Biodiesel plant to rise in Port Kembla

New South Wales (NSW) Minister for Lands Tony Kelly announced that a A$243 million (US$194 million) biodiesel plant using soybean oil as feedstock will be built at Port Kembla in NSW within two years. The plant will produce 288 million liters of clean fuel a year and will create 500 jobs during the construction period and 235 permanent full-time jobs once the facility is complete and operational. According to media reports, much of the soybean that will be processed at Port Kembla will be imported initially, as domestic supply is being established. More than one million tons of soybean are needed for the plant. (May 19, 2009)