Renewable Energy Group is investing $31 million to upgrade and enhance the company’s Danville, Illinois biodiesel refinery. This company news release says the improvements will add biodiesel distillation capabilities to the 45-million gallon nameplate capacity biorefinery, as well as making pretreat capacity improvements, along with storage, logistics and other optimization enhancements.
“REG Danville already has a proven record of success as part of our network of multi-feedstock biorefineries,” said Daniel J. Oh, President and CEO. “Enhancing the capabilities here, as we have done at several of our other plants, can allow REG to provide greater volumes of lower cost, lower carbon, higher quality advanced biofuel to our customers that increases energy security, food security and environmental benefits for North America.”
The distillation process removes impurities and leaves behind a pure form of biomass-based diesel that far exceeds industry quality standards, while meeting REG’s more rigorous REG-9000™ specifications. The fuel also performs better in colder temperatures.
“These upgrades increase this biorefinery’s strong and healthy appetite for lower cost, waste feedstocks which are sourced locally and regionally from our supply chain partners,” said Brad Albin, Vice President, Manufacturing.
REG bought the Danville biorefinery in 2010. During the upgrade, 80-100 full-time contract workers will add to the current 34 full-time workers at the plant.
This is the sixth major biorefinery enhancement REG has undertaken since late 2012, following completed upgrades at their Albert Lea, Minnesota, Seneca, Ilinois, Mason City and Newton, Iowa biodiesel plants and ongoing improvements at the Company’s renewable hydrocarbon diesel biorefinery in Geismar, Louisiana.