Renewable Energy Group breaks ground on $950 million dollar expansion on renewable diesel plant

GEISMER, La. (WAFB) - Renewable Energy Group broke ground on its $950 million expansion project at its renewable diesel plant in Geismar, Louisiana.

The project expands the plants production from 90 million gallons of diesel per year to 340 million gallons. It also adds more than 60 permanent jobs while adding 500 temporary construction positions.

The plant, which was already one of the first green fuel plants in the state, seeks to be the precipice of change for neighboring plants. Governor Edwards said the expansion gets Louisiana closer to his goal of being net zero on carbon emissions by 2050.

“You can’t wait until 2049 to get started,” Edwards said. “The sooner you bring projects online with technology that actually works the more likely you’re going to be successful, and biodiesel and removable diesel will help us meet demand for fuels while delivering a much smaller greenhouse footprint.”

The project is set to be completed by 2023 but will not be fully operational until 2024.

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