A new biodiesel blending facility located at a petroleum terminal in Aurora, Colorado is seen as key to improving the availability of biodiesel in the area while helping integrate the green fuel into the nation’s petroleum infrastructure.
Pipeline company Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., is the owner of the facility. The ceremony was attended by industry and legislative leaders and gained the praise of the National Biodiesel Board in this release:
“Today we are witnessing a renewable energy revolution in our state and in our nation,” said U.S. Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), who spoke at the opening ceremony. “This revolution is fueled by innovative firms like Magellan and CHS who understand that the production of clean, renewable biofuels not only strengthens America’s national and environmental security, but offers an unprecedented opportunity to spur economic growth and job creation in our rural communities as well. I commend them for their work and urge other firms to follow suit.”
The recently passed federal Energy Bill includes an expanded Renewable Fuels Standard, which for the first time will require more renewable fuel to be incorporated into the U.S. diesel market. Biodiesel and other renewable fuels depend on petroleum infrastructure such as the Magellan terminal for easy distribution.
“We are celebrating the opening of our 10th biodiesel distribution system inside one of our petroleum distribution terminals,” says Don Wellendorf, Magellan CEO. “We view renewable fuel distribution as a growth opportunity for our company and we are a trailblazer in this area. Our investment in biodiesel blending infrastructure at our Aurora facility is underpinned by our customer CHS, and the renewable fuel policies passed by Congress.”
Right now, more than 40 terminals nationwide provide biodiesel. Increased numbers of these biodiesel terminals are seen as key to getting biodiesel more widely used.