Shell has axed the construction of its biofuels plant in the Netherlands, ending what would have been one of the biggest converters of waste into green jet fuel in Europe.
The oil company, which paused construction at the site in July last year to tackle technical problems, said it had decided not to restart building after it found the plant would be “insufficiently competitive” to meet demand for “affordable, low-carbon products”.
>> In Other News: Carbon Capture Made Scalable: Decarbontek Debuts Breakthrough Modular Adsorbent Technology
The move to scrap the project in Rotterdam marks another setback for its biofuel designs, after the company cancelled a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project on Singapore’s Bukom Island in March 2023.
It comes amid a wider shift away from renewable energy projects in the oil and gas sector as fossil fuel companies pursue higher profits.
In March last year Shell watered down a key emissions target, setting out a plan to reduce the carbon emissions intensity of the energy it sells by 15-20% by the end of the decade compared with its previous goal of 20%.
Shell began construction of the plant in Rotterdam in the Netherlands in 2021, initially expecting to start producing up to 820,000 tonnes of biofuels, with plans to bring it online in April 2024. This was later pushed back to 2025.
Machteld de Haan, the company’s head of downstream, renewables and energy solutions, said: “As we evaluated market dynamics and the cost of completion, it became clear that the project would be insufficiently competitive to meet our customers’ need for affordable, low-carbon products.
“This was a difficult decision, but the right one, as we prioritise our capital towards those projects that deliver both the needs of our customers and value for our shareholders.”
She added that the company continued “to believe that low-carbon molecules, including biofuels, will underpin the future energy system” and that Shell was “one of the world’s largest traders and suppliers of biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuel”.
About half of the biofuels from the plant in Rotterdam were expected to be used for SAF, made from waste cooking oil and animal fat.
Proponents of SAF believe it could be crucial for airlines to cut their carbon emissions in line with global climate targets, although critics argue it is not a realistic alternative given the limited timescale to prevent rising emissions from creating a climate disaster. The aviation industry accounts for about 3% of the world’s carbon emissions, according to the International Energy Agency.
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.
Inside This Issue 🪣 Shovels Hit the Ground on California’s First Carbon Storage Hub 🤝 CHARBONE Announces a Strategic Alliance with a Leading U.S. Industrial Gas Producer 📜 Gold Standard Approves M...
Inside This Issue 🧠 From Mars to AI: Fuel Cells Power $28B Boom 🏆 Svante Technologies Wins Global Award for Breakthrough Carbon Capture Innovation 🚧 California Resources Corporation Breaks Ground ...
Inside This Issue 💰 Where the $6.5 Trillion Goes: Carbon Tech Fights for Funding 🔋 Douglas PUD Commission Cuts Ribbon At Renewable Hydrogen Production Facility 🍁 Quinbrook Acquires First Canadian ...
October 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM EDT Ship-to-ship fueling operation in Long Beach demonstrates scalable, low-carbon marine fuel solution aligned with global climate goals NORTH VANCOUVER, BC AND HOUS...
October 21, 2025 On-time, successful delivery demonstrates scalability of Plug’s European hydrogen production capacity and trucking fleet to support Germany’s energy transition SLINGERLANDS, N.Y....
Sustainable Jet Fuel Developer Moves Priority From SD to ND Amid Summit Pipeline Delays
Gevo Inc. Plans Sustainable Aviation Fuel Shift From South Dakota To North Dakota Amid Summit Carbon Pipeline Delays Gevo Inc., a Colorado-based developer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), annou...
CapturePoint’s CENLA Hub Project Advances On Louisiana’s Short List For Carbon Storage Permitting
CapturePoint Solutions LLC’s CENLA Hub Project Advances On Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy (C&E) Short List For Carbon Storage Permitting ALLEN, Texas, Oct. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEW...
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.