Sarawak’s first biodiesel plant will have an annual production capacity of 120,000 tonnes when it is fully operational in March.

The RM80mil plant is owned and operated by Sarawak company Senari Biofuels Sdn Bhd in collaboration with Assar Senari Group.

Senari Biofuels executive director Datuk Abang Khalid Marzuki said the plant, located within the Assar Senari Industrial Complex here, was now ready to commence production.

“We expect to be in full operation by March. Our production will be mainly for the export market and we intend to to expand the plant gradually to meet future demand,” he said at the plant’s launching by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Monday.

Abang Khalid said the plant comprised product storage facilities to receive feedstock via dedicated pipelines from the Assar palm oil refinery as well as connecting pipelines to the Assar independent oil terminal and deepsea port.

He said it also complied with statutory requirements under the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry for technical standards and best practices and was equipped with biodiesel technology to produce green fuel.

“With the launch of this plant, Senari Biofuels is prepared to be the leader in the biodiesel industry in Sarawak,” he said.

Assar Senari Group chairman Tan Sri Bujang Mohd Nor welcomed the collaboration with Senari Biofuels as part of the group’s efforts to integrate oil, gas and palm oil-based industries within its industrial complex.

“Our second industrial complex in Tanjung Manis is under construction and we are planning a third complex in Lawas. We hope Senari Biofuels will also set up biodiesel plants in these two complexes in the future,” he said.

Source: The Star by Sharon Ling