Shell: abandonment of a biofuel plant project in the Netherlands because of "lack of competitiveness"

The construction of a biofuels plant in Rotterdam (Netherlands) by Shell Nederland Raffinaderij B.V, a subsidiary of the Group, has been abandoned, announced the British oil company on 03/09/2025. Construction of the plant, located at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park, began in 2022 and was halted in July 2024. The plant was expected to produce 820,000 tonnes per year of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from waste oils, wood residues, and algae.

'After assessing the market dynamics and implementation costs, it became clear that the project would not be competitive enough to meet our customers' needs. It was a difficult decision, but the right one, as we prioritise investments in projects that meet the needs of both our customers and our shareholders,' said Machteld de Haan, President of Shell Downstream, Renewables and Energy Solutions.

"In 2024, Shell had marketed more than 10 billion litres of low-carbon fuels and sold 10 times more than we produced. In the same year, we became one of the world's leading suppliers of SAF," says Shell.