Nine U.S. Biofuels Plants Become Operational in First Quarter of 2009

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Despite all of the gloom and doom in the biofuels industry, some bright spots can be found amidst all the bankruptcy filings, plant auctions and employee layoffs, as nine biofuel plants managed to go into operation during the first quarter of 2009.

In New Mexico, Cetane Energy LLC began production of a small 3 million-gallon-per-year biodiesel plant in Carlsbad. This unique plant utilizes algae oils as well as soybean oil to produce the fuel, and the plant's flexibility and size should keep the plant out of the red and able to produce to its nameplate capacity.

Commercial Alcohols Incorporated began production of a medium-sized 53 million-gallon-per-year corn-based ethanol plant in Prescott, Ontario. Construction commenced in November 2006, and the plant went into operation in January 2009.

In Iowa, Hawkeye Renewables LLC put a large-scale 100 million-gallon-per-year fuel ethanol plant into operation in Shell Rock earlier this year. The corn-based plant was designed by ICM Incorporated (Colwich, Kansas) and built by Fagen Incorporated (Granite Falls, Minnesota).

In Nevada, Missouri, Prairie Pride Incorporated began production at a new 30 million-gallon-per-year plant. After struggling to start production, the plant is now running at full capacity. The plant was built by A-Lert Construction Services.

In Colorado, San Juan Biodiesel LLC began producing biodiesel from a small plant in Dove Creek. This small 5 million-gallon-per-year plant uses sunflower-seed oils as feedstock. The plant commenced commercial operation in January.

Scott Petroleum Company began production of a biodiesel plant in Greenville, Mississippi. This 20 million-gallon-per-year soybean-oil-based plant has been running since early this year and was built by Nova Biosource Fuels of Houston, Texas.

Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, along with partner Bunge, completed construction of a large 110 million-gallon-per-year fuel-ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in February. The plant utilizes ICM Incorporated's licensed process technology.

Synergy Biofuels LLC began producing 3 million gallons per year of biodiesel from a new plant in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, in March. The flexible plant utilizes animal waste feedstocks as well as vegetable oils.

The University of Florida began pilot-scale production from a cellulosic-based plant in South Bay, Florida, earlier this year. The plant will utilize grass, wood and leaf feedstocks to produce 1 million-2 million gallons per year of ethanol.

In all, the plants add up to an additional 265 million gallons annually of ethanol production and 61 million gallons of biodiesel production. The plants starting up also resulted in 216 jobs being created.

Industrial Info's Ethanol Database provides a comprehensive outline of all current development activities in the emerging alternative fuels market. This database covers 177 ethanol plants in operation and 530 plants under development. It also covers 145 operational biodiesel plants and 245 biodiesel plants under development.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a marketing information service specializing in industrial process, energy and financial related markets with products and services ranging from industry news, analytics, forecasting, plant and project databases, as well as multimedia services.