Nova Biosource Fuels increases Illinois plant capacity to 60 Mgy

In Illinois, Nova Biosource Fuels said that it will expand capacity of its Senaca plant from 40 MGy to 60 Mgy with the installation of the third and final biodiesel production train. The plant, which opened earlier this year at 20 Mgy capacity, has produced 5 Mgy of fuel this year and will undergo a test run this summer at full production capacity. Nova’s process uses multiple feedstocks including high free fatty acid stocks, and says that it produces a higher performing fuel than conventional processes using virgin soy oil.

Nova Biosource (NBF) background

In June, Nova Biosource Fuels announced that it commissioned its second 20 million gallon per year facility at the Nova biodiesel refinery in Seneca, and has produced more than 3 million gallons of biodiesel to date.

Nova Biosource Fuels said in March that its new biodiesel plant in Seneca reached a capacity of 14 Mgy after 25 days of operation, and was on schedule to reach its planned capacity of 60 Mgy. Nova said that its biodiesel was meeting or exceeding quality goals, and that it has proved an ability to utilize feedstocks with high free fatty acid content (over 6 percent).

Nova Biosource Fuels had previously announced a $41 million senior secured credit facility with WestLB AG, including a $36 million construction loan and $5 million in working capital.The funds will be used to complete the company’s 60 Mgy biodiesel plant in Seneca, Illinois. The plant is scheduled to be complete by summer 2008.

The news is positive for the Illinois biodiesel industry, which had been cited by BBI International as the third biggest biodiesel producing state, with 199 Mgy in actual or planned capacity. The state had been beset by high soybean oil prices. Recently, construction was halted at the North Prairie Productions biodiesel plant in Illinois owing to high soybean oil prices, and other Illinloic plants are producing at minimal levels or are idle.

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