Biofuel Briefs

Diamond Green Diesel Restarts Production after August Fire

STREATOR, Ill. (DTN) -- Darling Ingredients Inc. said in a news release Wednesday, Sept. 17, its Diamond Green Diesel facility in Norco, La., a joint renewable diesel refinery venture with Valero Energy Corp., restarted operations Sept. 15 following a fire Aug. 3.

"The quicker than expected turn-around should bring DGD back into full production by next week," Darling said.

The plant, based next to Valero's St Charles refinery in Louisiana, initially began operations in June. It uses animal fat, used cooking oil and other waste grease to produce just over 9,000 barrels per day. The two-year project was backed by the Department of Energy with a $241 million loan guarantee to build the renewable diesel plant.

The name-plate capacity of input feedstock will be increased to 11,000 bpd, Darling said. Before the fire, Diamond Green said production slowed to between 5,000 and 7,000 bpd as it replace a heat exchanger.

Darling Ingredients Inc. is a developer and producer of natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, creating ingredients for customers in the pharmaceutical, food, pet food, feed, technical, and fuel, bioenergy and fertilizer industries.

Valero Energy Corp., through its subsidiaries, is an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, other petrochemical products and power with include 16 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3 million bpd, 10 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.2 billion gallons per year, and a 50-megawatt wind farm.

(BM/AG)

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