http://www.yorkdispatch.com/business/ci_7213545
A local producer of biodiesel will start using fat from poultry products
in the next several weeks to fuel its customers. Manchester
Township-based United Biofuels is in the process of expanding its plant
at 600 Farmbrook Lane, increasing the amount of biodiesel fuel made
annually from 1.5 million gallons to between 5 million and 6 million
gallons.
It will also now be able to make the fuel from poultry fat. For the last
two years, the company has been using soybean oil to produce its
alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuel.
A second supply source for the biodiesel means more options as prices
fluctuate for soy. Poultry fat is separated in the poultry production
process, and is typically used in animal feed.
"This is going to be very important for competitive reasons," with said
United Biofuels president and CEO John Cole.
The company received a $273,000 grant from the state Department of
Environmental Protection to modify its equipment so it could produce
biodiesel with poultry fat. The department awarded about $10 million
throughout the state for similar projects.
But Cole said United Biofuels was moving ahead with its expansion and
modification of equipment whether it received the grant or not. He
didn't know about winning the grant until Tuesday.
"I definitely didn't know whether we would get it, but we put a lot of
method into (writing) our grant and felt it was extremely competitive
with others," he said.
As the company expands its supply of biodiesel, Cole said it will make a
sales push to get more customers.
He said expanding the amount of biodiesel the company is making will
give it a better "economical relationship" with its suppliers -- meaning
the fuel will likely be less costly to produce.
"And that's something we'd like to pass on to our customers," Cole said.