Reality Burning Biodiesel Industry

In Oklahoma, Green Country Biodiesel in Chelsea filed for liquidation after Cargill cut off soybean oil deliveries when the company fell behind on payments. In the past month, at least five other biodiesel plants have shut down due to high feedstock prices. In Iowa, the Freedom Fuels biodiesel plant in Mason City has shut down production last month. The plant has a capacity of 30 Mgy of biodiesel, and hoped to resume production in November. Four people were laid off from their jobs as a result of the shut down. Rising soybean prices have shuttered two Texas biodiesel plants, and are forcing producers to seek alternative feedstocks. Grainnet.com reported in September on two plant shutdowns in Pennsylvania, where state production has dropped to 5% of capacity. More on the Biofuels Digest.