This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Launch of green fuel project
25/03/2004
An innovative new project in North Lanarkshire which
will produce clean, green fuel from used fats and oils was
launched today.
Announcing Executive funding for the project, Deputy
First Minister Jim Wallace said that Scotland has the
potential to become a world leader in the new 'green'
economy of the future.
Argent Energy's new plant at Newarthill near Motherwell
will use animal fat and recovered vegetable oil for the
production of renewable energy and biodegradable fuel. The
project will create 16 new jobs and help to safeguard a
further 67 jobs at an existing plant.
The Executive has supported the £15 million project with
a Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) offer of £1.2
million. The company has also received assistance from
Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise
Lanarkshire. Construction on the site has already begun and
the facility should be operational by early 2005.
Visiting Argent today, Mr Wallace said:
"This project is the type of development our economic
strategy is designed to bring about - a dynamic business
with new high value jobs, cutting-edge technology and
ambitions to become a leader in its field.
"This will bring clear benefits for both Motherwell and
for Scotland. As well as creating 16 full-time jobs at its
new facility, Argent expects to safeguard 67 jobs at its
existing William Forrest rendering plant.
"I am particularly pleased that RSA, and Scottish
Development International, have played their parts in
bringing this to fruition."
He continued:
"Scotland has the potential to become a world leader in
the new 'green' economy of the future, and to create jobs
across a range of sectors, including recycling, renewable
energy and the development and manufacture of cleaner
technologies.
"The Biodiesel product has the potential to deliver
significant environmental and economic benefits, and is
expected to provide 5 per cent of Scotland's diesel
needs.
"We are committed to working with Scottish business and
others in developing a Green Jobs Strategy to drive this
process forward. We hope to consult on this in the coming
weeks.
"I hope that other Scottish companies will join Argent
in grasping these exciting opportunities."
The new plant will be capable of producing 50 million
litres of Biodiesel annually, providing an alternative
source of fuel for transport. It will provide a safe and
effective means of disposing of used cooking oils, and is
also a waste disposal solution to the imminent EU ban on
using used cooking oils in animal feeds.
Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) is the main national
scheme of financial assistance to industry, helping to
create and safeguard jobs and encourage investment in the
Assisted Areas of Scotland.
Payments of RSA are made in instalments, typically
over several years, provided that job and project
expenditure targets are met. The amount quoted above
represents the maximum grant potentially payable if the
project is satisfactorily completed, and not the amount
actually paid to date. Job numbers are based on firms'
forecast figures at the time a grant is offered, and are
subject to change.
In October 2001, "Scotland: A Global Connections
Strategy", was launched as part of the Scottish Executive's
guiding principles for the Enterprise Networks, "A Smart
Successful Scotland." It set out a radical new approach to
Scotland's international economic development, focusing on
how we support Scottish knowledge out to world markets and
attract knowledge from overseas for exploitation in
Scotland. It replaced the former inward investment group
Locate in Scotland, and the former export promotion group,
Scottish Trade International with a new unified
international economic development department, Scottish
Development International, which is jointly operated by the
Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise.