Homegrown fuel plant open for business

Homegrown fuel plant open for business
News 14 Carolina - Raleigh,NC,USA
PITTSBORO, NC -- Fats, oils, and grease could be the fuel of the future. The first biodiesel plant opened in the state Monday. Piedmont ...

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PITTSBORO, N.C. -- Fats, oils, and grease could be the fuel of the future. The first biodiesel plant opened in the state Monday. Piedmont Biofuels in Pittsboro will start producing the alternative fuel made from things you find in the kitchen.

The Chatham County town is leading the way in renewable energy production. Piedmont Biofuels, a company that started as a backyard operation in 2002, will now offer biodiesel or B-100.

"Biodiesel is made from fat so it could be vegetable oil, it could be waste vegetable oil, it could be chicken fat. We don't really care. You give us some fat we'll make you some fuel," said Lyle Estill of Piedmont Biofuels.

The plant will run five days a week and produce one million gallons of fuel a year.

"We take fat and we take methanol and we mix it all up and out comes biodiesel," said Estill.

Supporters say biodiesel can go into any diesel engine unmodified, its cleaner for the environment, and reduces reliance on foreign oil. But opponents argue its too expensive. The price for the alternative fuel is $3.50 per gallon. The price for petroleum based fuels is dropping.

“I really do think the major oil companies drive the price down so they can help drive the alternatives out and we cant let that happen that's not good for America," said Congressman Bob Etheridge who represents the 2nd district.

State leaders are pushing for tax incentives to help lower costs. In the meantime, Piedmont Biofuels is hoping their grand opening will open the door for more alternative fuel plants to crop up in the state. The plant already serves about 350 individual customers and a dozen fleets across the state. Production starts this Thursday.
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