Company wants to turn fat into fuel at Iowa plant

www.google.com ^ | 12/14/2009 | By AMY LORENTZEN

[Red Badger]

DES MOINES, Iowa — A central Iowa plant could soon begin producing jet fuel from poultry fat.

Bolingbrook, Ill.-based Elevance Renewable Sciences plans to build a $15 million plant in Newton, adding onto an existing biodiesel operation.

The experimental operation plans to use plant oils and poultry fat as building blocks to replace petroleum-based chemicals used to make myriad products, including jet fuel, lubricants, adhesives and even cosmetics and candles.

"It allows us to make a very interesting slate of products, which is different and somewhat in contrast to how poultry fat is used today," said K'Lynne Johnson, Elevance's chief executive. "We are taking a waste stream of products ... and using it in a higher value manner."

The project, funded in part by $2.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy, could get the final go-ahead by late January, Johnson said. The company also is seeking state financial support.

Construction of the plant would create up to 50 jobs, and seven or so permanent positions would be needed to run the biorefinery.

About one-fourth of first-year production would be focused on poultry fat. After that, Johnson said they'll let the market and their partners determine how much of its production would be dedicated to that area.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. poultry industry produces about 1.4 billion pounds of poultry fat every year.

Using Elevance's technology, that fat could produce about 250 million gallons of products including diesel fuel, jet fuel and specialty chemicals that can replace petroleum products, Johnson said. A biofuels processor needs the fat from about 50 chickens to make one gallon of fuel.

"In some ways it subsidizes actual food production because it lets poultry farmers get higher value for every chicken that they raise for food," Johnson said.

[Red Badger]

Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.....

If you want ON or OFF the DIESEL ”KnOcK” LIST just FReepmail me.....

This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days.....

[GeronL]

where is the money coming from?

[KarlInOhio]

Soylent Diesel?

[Maceman]

I wonder how long it will be before the population control activists approach this company about doing a joint venture.

[Red Badger]

...funded in part by $2.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy,...

[Red Badger]

Rosie and Moore could supply the whole truck fleet of a medium sized city............

[Yo-Yo]

Schmaltz as a fuel? Who knew?

[domenad]

In that case, I’ve eaten my way through the winter pretty good. What do you say we trade free liposuction for me powering North Dakota?

[married21]

I think the PETA people will say that we are driving around in cars fueled by the suffering of chickens. (Not that they mind when fetal material is used in medical or cosmetic products, mind you...)

[tubebender]

Oh sure... chickens today and us old folk tomorrow...

[married21]

“What do you say we trade free liposuction for me powering North Dakota?”

---

I’d give my right arm for such a noble cause. And my left, and my midsection, hips, chin, ...

[ichabod1]

"In some ways it subsidizes actual food production because it lets poultry farmers get higher value for every chicken that they raise for food," Johnson said.

Haven't we already been down this road with Corn? No pollo for yo tortillos pedro.

[hennie pennie]

I've read somewhere or another that there are several cities in America where you can take your used cooking oil into the municipal recycling plant.

I wonder what they do with it?

[ichabod1]

Soon you will be required to recycle it, FRiend.

[GeronL]

ugh. how idiotic.

[Piranha]

There’s another use for those death panels. Think of how fuel-efficient it will be to kill off old people before they get too thin.

[SoldierDad]

Funny, my first thought as well.

[Red Badger]

Sold to makers of Soaps, cosmetics, industrial chemicals.............

[Slyfox]

SAVE THE CHICKENS!!!