Oregon's first biodiesel production plant, Sequential Pacific Biodiesel LLC, held a grand opening ceremony in Salem in early July and was producing batches of the renewable fuel by month's end, Pacific Biodiesel's Kelly King told Biodiesel Magazine.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Salem, Ore., Mayor Janet Taylor attended the opening ceremony that included a taped interview of singer Willie Nelson, who is a partner along with Sequential Biofuels in Oregon and Pacific Biodiesel in Hawaii. Other partners include: Kettle Foods founder Cameron Healy, John Miller of Wildwood/Mahonia and Ron Tyree of Tyree Oil Inc.

Pacific Biodiesel designed and built the 1 mmgy plant, which Tomas Endicott of Sequential Biofuels now manages. Tyree Oil will blend most of the plant's finished product, and Sequential Biofuels, which has been selling biodiesel for three years, will be the main distributor of the renewable fuel.

Kettle Foods will supply some used cooking oil as feedstock, while hauling company Metro Rooter and Plumbing will supply the rest. King said other feedstocks could be used in the future. However, the Oregon Department of Agriculture is proposing a ban on canola production, which could influence the plant's feedstock choices if enacted.

Pacific Biodiesel and Sequential Biofuels originally set out to build a turnkey plant in Portland, but the city's restrictive permitting process prompted a move to Salem. King said Sequential Pacific Biodiesel is still waiting for permits to be awarded in Portland, where it could build a 4 mmgy plant in the future. The Salem plant may also be ramped up to 4 mmgy or 5 mmgy if demand continues to be strong.