New York biodiesel plant to use renewable power
October 13, 2006
BY Dave Nilles
Jason Masters and Bob Bechtold are planning on turning one form of renewable energy into another. The duo is developing a biodiesel project in western New York that will obtain some of its power from a nearby wind turbine.
Northern Biodiesel recently purchased a former lumber warehouse adjacent to Bechtold's plastic injection molding company, Harbec Plastics Inc. The property, located in Ontario, N.Y., will be turned into a 7.5 MMgy biodiesel plant, according to Masters.
A 250-kilowatt wind turbine provides approximately one-third of Harbec's annual electricity needs. When the facility isn't operating, the excess power is sold back into the power grid, according to Masters. Harbec also produces a significant amount of waste heat that will be used in the biodiesel production process. "We'll be piping that to our facility for process heat," Masters said.
Masters said construction on the biodiesel plant will begin upon financial close. "We're in the negotiation round of closing all of our loans," he said.
Masters is targeting early December for construction. Start-up is expected six months later. The former lumber warehouse requires significant infrastructure improvements beyond tying in the facility to Harbec's power supply, Masters said.
The plant's equipment is already purchased. Masters said the facility will use an in-house design that combines a continuous flow and batch-style production method.
The biodiesel plant will initially operate on a shift basis, producing 1.5 MMgy to 2 MMgy. Depending on demand, production can be ramped up to 7.5 MMgy while operating 24 hours per day, 288 days per year. The plant will use waste vegetable oil, canola oil and soy oil as feedstock.
Masters said much of the biodiesel will be targeted toward the Rochester area of New York. Ontario is 20 minutes east of Rochester along the Lake Ontario shoreline. A biodiesel marketer has not been finalized.
Dave Nilles is Online Editor for Biodiesel Magazine. Reach him at dnilles@bbibiofuels.com or (701) 373-0636.
Posted: 1:41 p.m. CDT Friday, October 20, 2006
Northern Biodiesel recently purchased a former lumber warehouse adjacent to Bechtold's plastic injection molding company, Harbec Plastics Inc. The property, located in Ontario, N.Y., will be turned into a 7.5 MMgy biodiesel plant, according to Masters.
A 250-kilowatt wind turbine provides approximately one-third of Harbec's annual electricity needs. When the facility isn't operating, the excess power is sold back into the power grid, according to Masters. Harbec also produces a significant amount of waste heat that will be used in the biodiesel production process. "We'll be piping that to our facility for process heat," Masters said.
Masters said construction on the biodiesel plant will begin upon financial close. "We're in the negotiation round of closing all of our loans," he said.
Masters is targeting early December for construction. Start-up is expected six months later. The former lumber warehouse requires significant infrastructure improvements beyond tying in the facility to Harbec's power supply, Masters said.
The plant's equipment is already purchased. Masters said the facility will use an in-house design that combines a continuous flow and batch-style production method.
The biodiesel plant will initially operate on a shift basis, producing 1.5 MMgy to 2 MMgy. Depending on demand, production can be ramped up to 7.5 MMgy while operating 24 hours per day, 288 days per year. The plant will use waste vegetable oil, canola oil and soy oil as feedstock.
Masters said much of the biodiesel will be targeted toward the Rochester area of New York. Ontario is 20 minutes east of Rochester along the Lake Ontario shoreline. A biodiesel marketer has not been finalized.
Dave Nilles is Online Editor for Biodiesel Magazine. Reach him at dnilles@bbibiofuels.com or (701) 373-0636.
Posted: 1:41 p.m. CDT Friday, October 20, 2006
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