United Biofuels transforms New York fuel storage unit

New York City’s first ever large-scale biodiesel production plant hopes to emerge by the end of 2014. 

United Biofuels has asked the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to grant it permission to transform an existing fuel storage facility.

The conversion will enable the facility to receive vegetable oil and to then turn it into fuel that can supply diesel vehicles.

The facility, located in Greenpoint, expects to produce a maximum of 50 million gallons of biodiesel a year from first generation biofuels, making it one of the biggest biodiesel production plants in the country.

The plant will turn biological feedstock, which may include used vegetable oil, soybeans and corn, into fuel.

'This facility is essentially taking industrial wasteland and turning it into a productive use of the land,' said Richard Mazur, executive director of the North Brooklyn Development Corporation.

The permit is open for public review until April 4th. If approved, the permit will allow the company to 'install equipment for biodiesel fuel purification, methanol recovery, wastewater treatment and vapour control.'

'Hopefully it'll be finished before the end of the year,' added John Catsimatidis, owner of United Biofuels.