CountryMark diesel expansion project to bring renewable diesel to Indiana for the first time
MT. VERNON, Ind. (WFIE) – The snip of a ribbon marks a turning point for renewable diesel fuel production in Indiana.
Matt Smorch, President & CEO of CountryMark said,
Nobody sells renewable diesel in Indiana. All the renewable diesel that’s produced in this country goes out to the west coast,
”We’re going to have the first diesel fuel with renewable diesel in our area.”
CountryMark completed more than $100 million in upgrades to its diesel refinery.
This will allow the company to utilize ISO dewaxing and co-processing technology.
This means they can produce fuel by combining soybean oil with conventional diesel.
“This project for us today is that we’re making our diesel that’s already good, we’re making it better,” Smorch said. “We’re gonna end up having more power per gallon, it’s gonna make people that use our diesel more efficient and it’ll save them money in the long run.”
This isn’t just a good thing for CountryMark. Some local famers say it’s a good thing for them too.
Randy Kron, President of the Indiana Farm Bureau said,
It’s bound to help, you know its a few pennies per bushel, but every penny counts right now,
“So yeah, it is good. It’s a win win for Hoosier Farmers, for CountryMark and for Mt. Vernon and Posey County. It’s a great win for everybody.”
Kron, who is also a farmer himself, says Indiana grows a lot of soybeans.
Kron, said,
Farmers love to run their own product. So by using soy diesel, they’re burning some of the product that they grow,
“So Hoosier Farmers are great at growing corn, soybeans and wheat and you know we produce a lot of food, but to produce fuel and be more reliant on US products is great.”
CountryMark says this is the largest investment in company history.
They say expansion of the crude unit will take place next month to increase diesel fuel production and co-processing will begin in September.
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CountryMark diesel expansion project to bring renewable diesel to Indiana for the first time, source
