31/12/05 (Expansion )  -  German group Saria plans to build a biodiesel plant in the Spanish autonomous region of Madrid. Saria will build the plant, the first in the region, as part of a 50-50 arrangement with Catalan firm Garnova, the majority shareholder in Stocks de Valles, the owners of Catalonia's first biodiesel plant. The two firms are about to sign off on the purchase of 15,000 sq m of land which will serve as the site for the plant. At present, Saria operates two biodiesel plants in Germany, and has another two under construction

The plant, which is being supported by the Madrid regional government and is expected to commence operations in 2007, will have an initial production capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year. It will also create 50 jobs directly, and use as raw materials animal fats from abattoirs and vegetable oils used to fry food in restaurants and bars.