Kim, of Umitilla, OR, gave us a tour of the Port today. This did not exclude the proposed biodiesel plant site. It was quite a treat to hear about Kim's past experiences with ethanol, corn based and cellulosic, and his reasoning behind shifting away from ethanol to biodiesel. He made a very interesting comment on the possibility of distilling glycerin, the byproduct of biodiesel, into ethanol and thus creating ethanol from a waste product. He has not ruled out the prospect of building an ethanol plant right next to the biodiesel plant if distilling glycerin into ethanol is possible.
He decided that 5 million gallons of biodiesel a year was the most economically and environmentally sustainable amount for the future plant. He justified tis with the number of cattle that would plausibly be fed the meal byproduct of the seed crushing process, the # of fallow acres in the area, and the distribution capability.
We heard the bussiness perspective along with some advise from Kim, right down to strategy on how to fund the project . . . Who is on the appropriations committee and what is in their best interest? Is the project non-partisan? Have persistent patience. To make it all work, you need a VERY diverse team of specialist who are honest and aren't greedy. Thanks for the words of wisdom Kim.
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