EarthFirst Technologies, Incorporated will be building America’s first bio-refinery, capable of producing ASTM 6751 biodiesel from palm-based methyl esters.

Similar projects have been built in Singapore and Malaysia. This story on the Power Online web site says the new bio-refinery will be in Channahon, Illinois:

The key to the Company’s Bio-refinery is the use of palm oil based feedstock. The chemical composition and stability of palm oil make it suitable for refinement into numerous products.

To secure the continuous availability of palm oil feedstock, EarthFirst has entered into a 15-year Supply Agreement with LODERS CROKLAAN USA, LLC (“Loders”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the IOI Group. IOI has an existing supply chain for palm oil products from Malaysia to Channahon, Illinois which serves Loders’ specialty fats business supplying the requirements of the US food industry. The Company also has a 15-year Agreement with Loders to lease a currently unused vegetable oil fractionation facility, located on its own self-contained site, adjacent to Loders’ other operations in Channahon.

The Illinois site was chosen because it sits in the center of seven Midwestern states that consume almost 90% of the biodiesel currently produced in the U.S. In addition, Illinois has biodiesel incentives to offer, as well as the federal subsidies already out there. Officials say there will also be a market for the other bio-refinery products.