CEO Hans Smits of the Port of Rotterdam Authority said in his statement, “Considerable reductions in CO2 emissions are possible and at the same time a tremendous opportunity for Rotterdam and The Netherlands. Globally and from a strategic point of view, we are strengthening our position as Europe’s most important energy port. The direct economic advantages start with the extra investment of approximately € 1.5 billion just in biofuels. This brings with it a hefty primary spin-off due to the high-quality technical design and installation work required. At a secondary level, you have the contribution to knowledge of second-generation biofuel plants. Incidentally, the pipe system for the transportation of CO2 falls under the innovations that The Netherlands can build on in order to get a head start. Finally, the chemical cluster benefits from the by-products of biofuels”.

Plants 
At the beginning of 2008, the following plants are either in development or under construction in Rotterdam:

European centre
In this way, the port of Rotterdam is becoming one of the most important European centres for the production of biofuels, i.e. biodiesel and bioethanol. Here, the supply of raw materials from abroad using the biggest sea vessels is relatively cheap, and the bio-component can easily be mixed in with the petrol and diesel from ‘conventional’ oil refineries via the pipe system. Inland shipping and rail transport, and in particular the Betuwe Route, all ensure the optimal transportation of the final product to, and raw materials from, the hinterland. A large, flexible trading market will also come about, because biofuels can be supplied from other large production centres such as in Spain and North and South America using large sea vessels. 

Finally, by-products, such as glycerine from biodiesel production, are sold as raw materials to existing and future chemical plants. 

Second generation
The raw materials for biofuels are at present mostly rape seed, Cole seed, grains, palm nuts, soya beans, sugar cane and jatropha nuts. Their geographical origins are spread out over Asia, Africa, North and South America, Central Europe, Germany, France and Spain. In a future phase, harder, non-edible substances such as wood chips, stalks, stems and peels will be used. In Rotterdam and elsewhere, the treatment processes for this will be upgraded to ‘second generation’ plant level over the years to come. 

Eventually, the aim is to use the whole plant, including the roots, in the most effective manner for food, fuel and raw materials for the yet-to-be-developed biochemical industry.