Bio-Diesel Fuel Plant Coming to Crawfordsville

Saturday, February 11, 2006, 4:39:43 AM
By Capt. Bobby Ratliff
KCRG-TV9 News

(Crawfordsville – KCRG) -- Iowa could be on the verge of an explosion in bio-diesel production. One new plant is coming to Crawfordsville in Washington County. It’s a site that’s ideal for bio-diesel.

Iowa is the nation’s largest soybean producer, and right now soybean oil is the main source for bio-diesel. But bio-diesel can actually be made from any organic oil, including animal fat and recycled grease. That’s why Riksch Biofuels has chosen Crawfordsville for its new seven-million dollar plant.

The site is strategically located between two large soybean oil producers and several rendering facilities. President Neil Rich says they'll probably use mostly soybeans at first, but that could change depending on market conditions. The new plant will make up to ten million gallons of bio-diesel each year from a variety of sources. It'll also bring ten full-time jobs to Crawfordsville.

Riksch Biofuels will break ground this month, and they hope to be up and running by mid-July.

The Iowa Soybean Association predicts bio-diesel will create nearly 14,000 jobs in Iowa by 2010. Right now there are only three bio-diesel plants in Iowa.

The new plant in Crawfordsville is among four that plan to open this year. The Soybean Association says there are another ten plants being planned.

If all of those plants are built, Iowa could produce as much as 400 million gallons of bio-diesel each year.

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