Photo: Renewable Energy Group Inc.
October 24, 2012
BY Ron Kotrba
Renewable Energy Group Inc. is investing $20 million in technology upgrades to its 30 MMgy REG Albert Lea LLC biodiesel production facility in southern Minnesota. REG was the general contractor and manager of the former SoyMor plant, which opened in 2005. REG acquired the biodiesel refinery in 2011.
Originally designed as a facility to process vegetable oils such as soybean oil, the $20 million upgrades will allow the facility to take in lower-cost feedstock such as waste vegetable oil, inedible corn oil extracted from the backend of the ethanol production process, and animal and poultry fats.
Upgrades include a free fatty acid stripper and distillation columns, and the plant is expected to be online with multifeedstock capabilities beginning second quarter next year. Production capacity will remain 30 MMgy.
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