By LINDA McGURK
Indiana Correspondent

DANVILLE, Ill. — A 45 million-gallon-per-year biodiesel plant that opened in Danville last November will now have the capability to process animal fats and restaurant grease into fuel. The $12 million upgrade was completed on schedule last week, according to a joint statement from plant owner Blackhawk Biodiesel, LLC and biodiesel marketer Renewable Energy Group (REG).

“Part of the upgrades included improvements to the pretreatment process, which allows us to produce high-quality biodiesel regardless of the feedstock,” said Alicia Clancy, REG spokesperson.
The construction project, which started last September and employed 68 full-time workers, also included enhanced laboratory and testing facilities and improvements for storage and logistics capabilities.

“These upgrades enhance local production of clean-burning renewable fuel, support 28 green-collar employees and offer petroleum distributors additional choices for high quality biodiesel,” said Ron Mapes, chairman of Blackhawk Biofuels, in a statement.
Even though the facility is now capable of processing recycled kitchen oil, the main focus at this point is on animal fats, such as tallow, lards and poultry fat. Clancy said the lower price of animal fats will help keep REG’s biodiesel products competitive in a market characterized by low fuel prices.

The Blackhawk plant typically sources feedstocks from within a 200-mile radius of the facility, and until now the plant’s first choice of feedstock has been oil pumped in from Bunge Milling’s soybean crusher next door. Clancy expects the animal fats to be sourced from facilities within a similar range of the plant.

The animal fats are processed separately from the soybean oil and result in a fuel with slightly different characteristics. REG, which markets all of the fuel from the Danville plant, will sell the animal fat-based biodiesel under its REG-9000-10 brand. The REG-9000-10 has a cloud point of 46-54 degrees Fahrenheit and a cetane level of 53-59.

The company assured that the quality of the biodiesel will meet or exceed the standards specified by ASTM International, regardless of feedstock. “This is a very price-competitive biodiesel product,” Clancy said. “In the summer months coming up we’re looking forward to strong demand for the REG-9000-10.”

Most of the REG-9000-10 produced at the Danville plant and along with REG’s two other B100 products, REG-9000-1 and REG-9000-5, is sold to petroleum distributors in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa and Missouri, where it is blended with regular diesel and sold to consumers.

Most of the biodiesel is sold from the Danville plant by the semi-truck load, but Clancy said the company may sell smaller units as well. Pricing information is available by calling REG toll-free at 888-734-8686.

“The upgrades have been completed, we’re in production mode and we’ll have fuel available for sale any day,” she added.