New tenant moves into Washington biodiesel plant

TransMessis Columbia Plateau (TCP) has moved into the biodiesel plant in Odessa, Washington, US and expects to be operational by the end of November.

CEO Damon Pistulka expects the plant to reach full capacity in the first quarter of 2014. The facility, previously owned and operated by Inland Empire Oilseeds, will produce biodiesel from canola. He estimates the company will use 'well over' 50,000 tonnes of the feedstock in 2014.

Pistulka says the company plans to produce 8 million gallons of biodiesel a year, and hopes the feedstock will eventually be locally sourced.

TCP is leasing the building from the Odessa Public Development Authority, with an option to purchase. The facility is being cleaned and readied for production to begin this year.
TransMessis Columbia Plateau will not make food-grade oils.

The Odessa area is too dry to establish canola without irrigation, says Odessa Public Development Authority president

Clark Kagele, but it requires relatively little water. Rasmussen says farmers can negotiate a contract with the company.

'The more canola we have in the region, the better,' she said. 'Whatever [TCP] can't get locally, they will supplement from the state and other regions in the United States.'