First solar-powered soy oil plant in the Americas opens in Argentina
The first “green” soybean oil production plant in the Americas, 100% powered with solar energy and without waste or the use of chemical solvents, was inaugurated in the town of San Andrés de Giles, northwest of Buenos Aires, on Thursday.
The 16,000 ft² plant, powered by 412 photovoltaic panels, was developed not by one of Argentina's large agro-industrial conglomerates (most of them owned by U.S., European, or Chinese interests) - but by Rumará, a locally-owned and women-owned medium firm.
“It is the first industrial plant in America that will produce soybean oil from renewable energy,” Industry Secretary José Ignacio de Mendiguren, 72, exulted. “It's a project led by women, which adds value, industrializes rural areas and boosts the countryside, and transforms a product of 500 dollars a ton into one of 1,600 dollars a ton.”
Financed by the Argentine Development Bank (BICE) and the CreAr subsidized business credit program, the plant has a milling capacity of 250 tons of soybeans daily - equivalent to 95,000 tons a year.
Currently, the firm works with 22,000 owned and leased acres of prime Pampas land, has 40 employees and sells mainly to the domestic market. The new plant, however, will allow them to begin exporting.
Green soybean oil, which was registered under the Oil Green brand, is the first to be produced based on renewable and clean energy. In addition, production does not generate waste and no solvents are used in the preparation of the product.
Argentina is the world's fourth-largest soy oil producer, and the top exporter - earning $7 billion for the hard currency-strapped country last year alone (nearly 8% of goods exports).
At: https://euro.eseuro.com/trends/557309.html
Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Massa (center-left, with blue tie) and Industry Secretary José Ignacio de Mendiguren (center-right, with green tie) headline the opening of the first first “green” soybean oil plant Argentina - and in the Americas - on Thursday.
Massa described the plant, developed by one of the few women-owned agroindustrial firms in the country, as “what Argentines can do if we align the work of the State with the will, the desire for investment, the capacity, the talent, the creativity of the private sector - and above all the entrepreneurial vocation of Argentines.”
Massa, 51, is running for president on the ruling, center-left Union for the Homeland ticket - whose chances have been throttled by 114% inflation and a record drought that has tightened hard-currency access in severely-indebted nation of 46 million.
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This super-cool step forward should give the whole country a special boost. So good to see both Secretaries there, and how thoughtful of Sec. Mendiguren to wear a green tie for the occassion. Have never heard of any other solar-powered plant before this.
A lot of firsts. Looking good, Argentina!
Thank you, peppertree. 
Currently, solar power supplies just over 2% of Argentina's electricity (wind is further along - currently at over 10%).
The biggest impediment to the growth of solar in Argentina has been the cost of importing the photovoltaic cells and the many other components - especially in a context of hard currency scarcity.
To help address this, they're currently building a solar cell and panel plant in San Juan Province - where the altitude and dry, sunny weather has made the small province the country's largest supplier of solar power already.
Here's a publicity short about the factory:
Sadly, its opening has been delayed due to - you guessed it - shortage of imported machinery and components. But it should open later this year (knock wood).
Thanks again, Judi. Happy Fourth, and All the Best!
