Natural's biodiesel plant achieves nameplate capacity

Natural Fuel Australia’s new biodiesel plant in the northern city of Darwin has achieved its nameplate capacity of around 138 million liters per year, the company’s parent Natural Fuels Limited said in a statement on March 19. The A$48 million (US$39.73 million) plant, designed by Lurgi, was opened last November and, over the past two months, has undergone refinements to its process and changes to the filtration unit. Natural Fuels said it was currently working to bring production rates at the facility in line with the 110% to 120% of nameplate typically achieved at other Lurgi plants. “In order to achieve this at the Darwin plant, modifications will be required to the existing plant configuration, including further upgrading of the filtration systems,” the company said. The modifications are to be completed by the end of June. (March 19, 2007)