A new, eight-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant in Washington state has come on line with the opening of the facility’s canola crusher, joining its biodiesel brewer that began refining last November.
This article from the Ritzville Adams County Journal says the Inland Empire Oilseeds plant in Odessa, Washington is a one-stop shop for the green fuel:
“With the addition of the crusher, IEO becomes the first biodiesel company in Washington to fully integrate all production steps into one place – from crushing to rail tank car,” said Steve Starr, company general manager.
“Our new crush line reduces production costs. That results in savings we can pass on to our customers. Those savings, plus the recent rise in oil prices, make our biodiesel more competitive than ever with petroleum-based diesel.”
Starr said that because the company has taken advantage of existing infrastructure and carefully managed its equipment procurement costs, IEO also has a lower capital cost per gallon than its competitors.
IEO’s crushing and refining facility is housed in a 28,000-square-foot preexisting building situated next to a grain elevator and a 26-car rail siding that adjoins the Burlington Northern Santa Fe mainline. IEO also recently added 60,000 gallons of storage to better manage deliveries as demand has grown. IEO’s annual production capacity is eight million gallons.
The plant was founded after a 2006 law encouraged in-state oilseed production and refinement into biodiesel. A $4.3 million low-interest loan from Washington state’s Energy Freedom Fund helped the project get off the ground.