Big Island Biodiesel Opens
by Peter Sur (Hawaii Tribune-Herald) …Big Island Biodiesel, located near Keaau, opened its doors for investors to tour the $12 million plant that in a few months will begin turning fuel crops and used cooking oil from across the state into renewable energy.
“This is the first plant in the United States to run trap grease as its main feed stock,” said Bob King, founder of Pacific Biodiesel and Big Island Biodiesel. “You’re looking at the very first one, right behind us. It also can process used cooking oil, animal fats, tallow (and) the crop oils that we are going to grow on the Big Island and around the state.”
…Testing on the plant is expected to begin shortly, and one investor said the fuel could be sold commercially by September.
Big Island Biodiesel is the name of the company set up to run the plant and will remain separate from Pacific Biodiesel, which is providing the technology and the feedstock and is selling the fuel.
The plant will be able to take in used cooking oil and convert it into up to 8,000 gallons of biodiesel per batch. With the capacity to create two batches per day, that equals a capacity of 16,000 gallons of biodiesel and 5 million gallons per year. READ MORE
