The first biodiesel commercial plant in the country will be ready next year, Director General of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) Dr. Ebenezer M. Okonkwo has said.

Speaking to Thursday, Okonkwo said the idea is to compliment the use of conventional diesel and save emission.

According to him, a large plantation that covers 7 hectares of Jatropha plant is being put to use, adding that more plantations are being used at different locations in the country.

Dr. Okonkwo said the beauty of the biodiesel is that it has no side effect and environmentally friendly.

He said the production of biodiesel has lots of potentials in the country.

Some major consumers of diesel are now mixing it with biodiesel such as telecoms companies and they are importing it in millions of tons.

He said the agency has started with pilot test of biodiesel production from some wastes of Neem tree and other plants and had now procured most of the equipment needed for the larger production of the Biodiesel.

He explained that biodiesel can be added up to 20 percent to the conventional diesel without any noticeable effect on the machines, with low emissions.

He explained that the world is gradually moving towards substituting diesel with biodiesel for safer environment and as alternative fuel.