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Savannah Enters into Biodiesel Production
US - Biodiesel production is coming to Savannah, with plans to convert used cooking oil, waste material from restaurant grease traps, animal fats and virgin vegetable oils into clean-burning biodiesel. Mark D. Lofton, president an CEO of Coastal Biofuels Inc., doing business as Zenerga Savannah, unveiled his plans at a meeting of the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) Monday morning.
Lofton said he expects his company’s production facility to be in operation by mid- to late October. He anticipates producing 1.5 million gallons in the first year, and moving up to 10 million gallons upon full development.
He described his production line as a non-polluting process which does not use water. It will set up operations in an existing building at 1926 ½ W. Gwinnett St., on a stretch of that road devoted to industrial use.
TheCreativeCoast reports that Xenerga Savannah will employ about 10 people to start with and could grow to as many as 20 employees in the coming 18 to 24 months, Lofton told the SEDA board at its regular monthly meeting Monday. He has been working with SEDA staff since March 2007 on plans to launch the facility.
Lofton expects to draw a third of his raw materials locally, from within 100 miles. About a third is expected to come from the restaurant industry in recovered grease and grease trap waste. Another third will come from animal fats, to be supplied from meat processing plants and rendering facilities. The final third will come from virgin vegetable oils, which are largely imported, including coconut and palm oils and gatropha, which is an African oil-bearing nut.
The launch of the plant represents a career change for Lofton, who has lived in Savannah the past 30 years. He was previously in the transportation insurance business.
Lofton said startup financing for his operation came from Darby Bank and United Community Bank.
He brought with him to the meeting vials of both conventional petroleum-based diesel and biodiesel. The first has a strong chemical odor, while the sample of biodiesel seemed odorless in comparison.
TheBioenergySite News Desk
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