Hurricane Ike Closes Largest Biodiesel Refinery in U.S. for Six to Eight Weeks
GreenHunter Energy Inc. said Monday it expects its Houston, Texas, biodiesel refinery to be out of service for six to eight weeks due to damage from Hurricane Ike.
The plant (right, pre-storm) can produce 105 million gallons of biodiesel per year, making it the largest biodiesel refinery in the country.
Located on 20 acres beside the Houston Ship Channel, it suffered floodwater damage and lost power when Ike came ashore early Saturday along the Texas Gulf Coast with strong winds and torrential rains.
The local utility in Houston, Center Point Energy, is expected to restore electricity and natural gas service to the location in six to eight weeks. In the short term, generators will provide temporary interruptible power.
GreenHunter can produce biodiesel from animal fats, vegetable oils or a blend of the two at the zero-emissions refinery.
The site was originally home to a waste-oil recycling facility owned by Channel Refining Corporation. GreenHunter bought it in early 2007 and converted it into a biodiesel plant.
- Posted by
- Scott Doggett September 16, 2008, 7:11 AM
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- Biofuels, Diesel, Energy Companies, Fuels & Technologies
Hmm. I thought one of the advantages of biofuels is that their processing plants could be distributed in parts of the country that wouldn't be subject to the same natural disasters as our oil refineries (at least not at the same time) I'm guessing the existing infrastructure at that site was too alluring.