Biofuel maker Nova Biosource Fuels, Inc. has updated the progress on its Seneca, Illinois biodiesel plant.

According to this company press release, Nova Biosource is producing biodiesel from low free fatty acid animal fats and vegetable oils with the plant right now at about 75 percent capacity:

Nova anticipates gradually changing the mix of feedstock to incorporate lower cost, higher free fatty acid content feedstocks through the remaining
commissioning process and then begin commissioning the remaining 20 million gallon per year trains. At the 20 million gallon per year biodiesel refinery built for Scott Petroleum Corporation in Greenville, Mississippi, a mechanical pump failure resulted in damage to the refinery. The refinery had previously been operated at full capacity. For example, during its performance test run in February, the refinery processed variable free fatty acid feedstock (primarily choice white grease with some poultry fat and fish oil with an average free fatty acid level of 4 to 5%) and the output of finished ASTM D 6751 quality biodiesel was measured in excess of 2,400 gallons per hour, or about 100%+ of rated nameplate throughput. The owner has commenced cleanup and repairs and a Nova engineering team is on site to consult with the owner to assess the situation and further develop the repair plan.

“We are pleased with the progress at the Seneca refinery,” said Kenneth T. Hern, Chairman and CEO of Nova. “Our commissioning team is doing a fantastic job of producing biodiesel that exceeds the ASTM standards. We are disappointed with the pump failure at the Scott biodiesel refinery and hope that repairs to the facility will be completed to bring it back to nameplate capacity as quickly as possible.”

When the facility is fully operational, the plant will produce 60 million gallons of biodiesel a year.