US Tyson Foods, Syntroleum start making biodiesel from animal fat

(ADPnews) - Nov 9, 2010 - US meat producer Tyson Foods Inc (NYSE:TSN) and biofuel maker Syntroleum Corp (NASDAQ:SYNM) on Monday announced that their 50/50 joint venture, Dynamic Fuels, had commenced production of renewable fuels from animal fats and greases.

The Dynamic Fuels facility came on stream in early October and currently produces 2,500 barrels a day. The plant has the capacity to produce 75 million gallons (284 million litres) of fuel a year, using Syntroleum's Bio-Synfining technology, which turns non-food grade animal fats such as beef tallow, pork lard, chicken fat and greases into biofuel. Renewable diesel produced in the facility meets all specifications for diesel fuel set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

"There's been tremendous interest in our fuels and so far our customers include a range of fuel distributors and end users, including the US military," said Bob Ames, Tyson Foods vice president of renewable energy. The facility has also been producing jet fuel to be tested by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

According to Jeff Webster, group vice president of the renewable products division of Tyson Foods, the Congress should act fast and more consistently on biofuel tax credit programmes so as to bolster the development of the sector, which will help the US cut its dependence on imported fuel.

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