BP abandons plans for biofuels plant in Rotterdam port

BP has abandoned plans for a biofuels plant at Europoort in Rotterdam, dealing a new blow to the port’s green ambitions, the AD reported on Monday. Around 100 jobs are expected to be cut.

The British oil and gas group, which operates one of Europe’s largest refineries in Rotterdam, said in an internal message on Monday that the project had become too expensive to continue. The plant was intended to produce 10,000 barrels of sustainable aviation fuel a day.

“BP is stopping further work on development of a standalone biofuels production facility at our Rotterdam refinery,” a spokesman told Reuters. “We are growing our co-processing capacity, maximising integrated value from our refineries, and will continue to evaluate biofuels options at our refining sites, favouring capital-light opportunities.”

The decision follows earlier setbacks for Rotterdam’s green energy hub. Shell halted construction of a partly built biofuels plant in Pernis earlier this year, while Finnish group UPM pulled out in May.

‘This is alarming, the third bio-refinery to collapse. After UPM and Shell, it is clear the biofuels market is in deep trouble,’ a Port of Rotterdam spokesman told the paper.

BP has invested millions of euros in preparing the Rotterdam site. The company is still investing in green hydrogen, but only in Spain and Germany.