Speaker of the Kansas House, Representative Melvin Neufeld (R-Ingalls) says the nation’s future of energy independence starts with places such as Kansas’ first operating biodiesel plant at Sedgwick, Kansas.

This story from the WIBW-TV web site says Healy Biodiesel, Inc is using soybean oil and recycled cooking oils collected from Kansas restaurants:

“This is the type of alternative energy production the Kansas Legislature envisioned when it approved the Soybean Checkoff several years ago as a way to fund research to find potential uses for soy,” Speaker Neufeld said. “This moves our country one step closer to freeing itself of dependence on foreign oil. Instead of importing oil and diesel, we have a company that is meeting energy needs and keeping the profit here in Kansas.”

The plant creates a B99 blend which is 99% biodiesel and 1% petroleum diesel that can be used in any diesel-fuelled vehicle without any conversion. Annual production is projected at 500,000 gallons. Healy sells the biodiesel fuel for $2.50 per gallon – about .50 lower then current diesel fuel prices.