REG breaks ground at Ralston biorefinery expansion

US biofuels firm Renewable Energy Group (REG) has broken ground at its Ralston, Iowa biorefinery to start a $24 million (€21.7m) expansion.

The company intends to increase the annual nameplate capacity of the plant from 12 million to 30 million gallons.

”REG Ralston has been an efficient biorefinery with an ample supply of lower cost, lower carbon intensity feedstock next door connected by a pipe, and the original nameplate capacity was tied to the output of soybean oil from the adjacent crush,” said Daniel J. Oh, president at REG.

“This expansion matches the greater output volume from the newly expanded soy crush at Landus Cooperative.”

In addition to the capacity expansion, the project will include logistics improvements and other site enhancements. The company expects to receive up to $20 million in long-term debt financing for the project.

“The decision by Landus Cooperative to expand their soy crush facility presented REG with an excellent, efficient opportunity,” said Brad Albin, VP of manufacturing at REG.

“With a greater, adjacent feedstock supply and our history of continuous improvements, this capacity expansion is a logical investment.”

Once completed, the Ralston expansion will increase REG’s cumulative nameplate capacity from its 11 active biomass-based diesel plants across the US to 470 million gallons annually.