Biofuel Projects

Biodiesel Production

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) announced on October 31, 2006 that the U.S. production of biodiesel could reach 250 million gallons in 2006, triple the amount produced in 2005. The NBB credits state and federal incentives, grants, and tax credits for the industry's rapid growth. The total annual biodiesel production capacity is now listed at 582 million gallons. A map of existing biodiesel plants is presented at the Biodiesel.org website.

According to the January 2007 Biodiesel Production Plant Map prepared by the National Biodiesel Board, there is approximately 1.7 billion gallons of proposed biodiesel capacity in the U.S.. A list of proposed plants is presented at the NBB website. Biodiesel Magazine also provides a list of proposed biodiesel plant construction projects in its June 2007 issue. Here, they estimate a proposed plant capacity of 2.2 billion gallons per year, a 152 percent increase from their 2006 Proposed Biodiesel Plant list. While a number of the plants being built will be capable of using multiple feedstocks, including rapeseed, canola, and palm oil, it is expected that soy oil will continue to be the predominant source for the time being. According to the American Soybean Association, approximately 20.2 billion pounds of soy oil were produced in the United States in 2006. If every pound of that soy oil was converted to biodiesel, it would create approximately 2.8 billion gallons of fuel.

Washington now has several biodiesel facilities in various stages of development or on-line. These facilities have a projected capacity of more than 320 million gallons of annual production; however, it is unlikely that all of these plants will be built. While it is hoped that Washington crops will begin to support the rapidly growing market for biodiesel, oilseed production in the region remains limited and the majority of these facilities will rely on out of state feedstocks for now. However, at least one Washington project will be sourcing locally grown oilseeds for part of its supply. Imperium Renewables contracted for 1 million gallons of canola oil from Natural Selection Farms, located in Sunnyside, Washington. Other projects, such as Standard Biodiesel, located in Arlington, WA, will be using locally sourced waste oils and fats.

Ethanol Production

The growth of U.S. ethanol production is on the rise. In 2005, 95 ethanol plants in 19 states produced a record 4 billion gallons, a 17% increase from 2004. In 2005, 14 new ethanol plants were brought on-line, representing over 770 million gallons of new capacity when combined with plant expansions during this same period. In addition, construction of 29 ethanol plants and nine expansions were underway at the end of 2005, with a combined annual capacity of more than 1.5 billion gallons. A list of existing, new and proposed ethanol plants can be found at the Renewable Fuels Association website.

Washington also has a number of ethanol plants under various stages of activity-from feasibility analysis, to permitting, to possible construction start-up. It is too earlier to know which of these plants will be built, but at this point in time they represent a combined capacity of 415 million gallons. Corn, imported on unit trains from the Midwest, will be the primary feedstock for ethanol production. However, sourcing of local feedstocks, including corn and possibly barley, is being investigated by some of these companies. It is hoped that other biomass sources, such as wheat straw and other agricultural residues, may be employed as feedstock in the future once cellulosic ethanol production becomes cost competitive.