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| Biopark Terneuzen natural habitat for Bio-Businesses  Biopark Terneuzen brings together businesses that have the potential to exchange and use each other's by-products and waste products as raw material or energy for their own processes. Known as 'Smart Links', these bio-complementary partnerships between participating enterprises serve to minimize the impact of their activities on the environment, while promoting synergies between industrial activity and sustainability. One of the companies that specifically chose to establish operations in Biopark Terneuzen is Rosendaal Energy, a producer of biodiesel for the European market. Founded in 2006 by Bart Rosendaal, Rosendaal Energy was drawn to Terneuzen because of a number of factors. "We needed a port location with direct deep-sea access", explains Rosendaal. "Logistically, Terneuzen offered exactly what we were looking for."However, Biopark Terneuzen had more to offer than logistic advantages alone. While industrial growth is undeniably an essential ingredient of a strong economy and prosperity, the impacts on community and environment have to be carefully evaluated. In order to minimize these impacts, the Smart Link concept has meant that all current and new participants in the initiative are engaged in mutually beneficial and sustainable projects, encouraging industrial development and creating more job opportunities on one hand but it also implies that Biopark keeps an eye on the ecological health of the areas and continuously works with experts to insure the flora and fauna are preserved. These three aspects are all fundamental to the mission of Rosendaal Energy. Rosendaal makes it very clear that social responsibility and sustainability is a priority. "We are extremely aware of the importance of responsible sourcing, both in terms of good social and environmental practice. We are careful to ensure that our feedstock comes from sustainable sources," says Rosendaal. At the same time, the company is well aware that it is competing against a number of major international producers. The survival of the fledgling enterprise depends on its economic viability. "We operate in a commodity market", says Rosendaal. "We are therefore aiming for large-scale production at the lowest possible price. This means that feedstock flexibility is a must. In the biodiesel market, different types of vegetable and animal oils can be used, depending on availability and price. Our production process must be able to accommodate the fluctuations in supply that occur on the global market. To this end, we will be building a tank farm here in Terneuzen, in order to be able to respond flexibly to market developments". write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |