A $25 million Partnership Brings New Biodiesel Technology To Midwest

by Ki Mae Heussner
Oct 11, 2007

For several years now, the U.S. biodiesel industry has been eyeing an alternative process for refining the renewable fuel that relies on a solid – rather than liquid – reactor. Although the potential benefits of the unconventional process were known, the execution of the technology eluded most U.S. companies.

Until this week.

On Wednesday, Chicago-based Benefuel Inc. and Indiana-based Seymour Biofuels LLC announced they will invest $25 million to build a biodiesel refinery in Seymour, Ind. that will harness the new technology. The companies said the plant will begin production toward the end of 2008 and will generate 10 million gallons of biodiesel annually.

“It is what I would call cutting-edge technology,” said Steve Howell, technical director for the National Biodiesel Board, of the new reactor.

Medill Reports (Northwestern University), Oct. 12, 2007