Monday was an important day for renewable energy on Hawai`i Island, as the Big Island Biodiesel plant opened at the Shipman Business Park in Kea`au. A number of local dignitaries attended the event - which was blessed with on again - off again rain. 

Pacific Biodiesel Founder Bob King said the $1.2 million plant will be able to process any kind of oil they can find into a clean, on-spec biodiesel fuel. 
“What we have currently is we can use used cooking oil and we can use some virgin oils, but not all of them,” King said. “And we really needed to have a more robustplant here.” 

The new plant will have the capacity to produce 5 million gallons of biodiesel per year. The company says the construction and installation of all buildings, tanks and non-proprietary technical equipment brought 85 jobs to the community. A job fair for staffing 
the plant was held on-site in March of this year and attracted 150 applicants. Hiring for permanent plant jobs began in May. Big Island Biodiesel is Pacific Biodiesel’s thirteenth production plant and its most technologically advanced facility. Content for this report was provided by Big Island Video News. 

KPUA