A Southern Florida biofuel refiner has plans to build a 15 million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant that will use oil from the jatropha plant and algae as its feedstocks.
This article from the Miami Herald says Ag-Oil, based in Delray Beach, is putting up the $20 million pilot-scale biodiesel production facility thanks to some federal stimulus dollars:
Teri Gevinson, CEO of Ag-Oil, said the company has planted 20 acres of jatropha, a fast-growing plant with seeds that contain oil, to make biodiesel. The biorefinery will use a patented technology to convert jatropha seeds, algae and related by-products into fuel.
The company, the recipient of a $2.5 million state renewable energy grant, is working with United Environment and Energy, Horseheads, N.Y.; Argonne National Laboratory, a federal energy lab in Argonne, Il., the University of Florida and the University of Southern Illinois. It has also applied for federal American Recovery and Investment Act funds.
Once operational sometime in 2011, the facility and plantation on 103 acres will maintain an estimated 128 direct jobs and 915 indirect jobs, the company said.
Other farmers in South Florida will also be growing jatropha for the plant.