New process could have a big impact on the biodiesel industry
Isanti, MN- A new biodiesel plant that's being proposed in Forest City aims at changing the way people think about renewable fuel.
It will use the "Mcgyan process," and instead of taking hours to make the fuel it takes just seconds.
Last week the developers invited local legislators and business leaders to the Ever Cat fuels plant in Isanti, MN about 40 miles north of the twin cities to show them how it all works.
This first of its kind plant is partly the creation of Dr. Clayton McNeff, one of the three founders of the Mcgyan process, he now serves as the Chief Science Officer of Ever Cat Fuels.
"Literally overnight we had this wonderful discovery," he said.
Using what's called a “fixed-bed reactor,” they can turn a gallon of feedstock mixed with alcohol into a gallon of biodiesel in as little as three seconds.
"The reactants run through this tube, you get this chemical reaction that happens literally within seconds, and it's a very clean process because you don't have to use any chemicals like sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid or something like that and then you don't have to wash the fuel afterwards."
Mcneff calls the traditional process the "lutefisk method." Aside from its speed, the Mcgyan process also uses nature’s wastes. They've tested about 24 with success so far including spent ethanol grains and restaurant grease.
"So if you're using food grade soybean oil, at say 30 to 40 cents a pound that's way too expensive to make fuel with," said McNeff.
They have cut the input costs of making biodiesel in half, which McNeff says is about 90 percent of the overall cost of making the fuel.
They're also experimenting with pennycress. A plant McNeff says farmers could grow during the winter.
"The USDA down in Peoria, IL has done studies to show that you can make about 100 gallons of biodiesel form an acre of pennycress."
McNeff says if all of the current soybean and corn fields were planted with Pennycress in the winter, they could produce about 10 to 12 billion gallons of biodiesel a year.
One of the most appealing prospects of the McGyan process is that it's profitable without government subsidies.
That fact has local state legislators cautiously optimistic.
"In the short run I think people are interested and willing to create those tax credits create that environment for startups, you can't do that forever," said State Representative Linda Upmeyer of Garner, IA.
"You have to very conscious of taxpayer’s money, so you want to make sure that any investments you make are the right thing," said State Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City, IA.
Both Ragan and Upmeyer made the trip to Isanti.
In a room full of people hoping to find an answer to the nation's energy issues, McNeff hopes his discovery is the answer.
"Very powerful technologies can come from simple backgrounds, and it's just a matter of being open to seeing that their actually there."
The Winnebago County Supervisors will discuss the zoning of the plant near Forest City at its next meeting.
The developers hope to start production next fall.
