A giant agricultural company’s years of work on a renewable, sustainable diesel fuel is finally coming to fruition—and it’s made from 100% waste products.

A 50-50 joint venture between Cargill and Love’s Travel Stops, will produce and market a green fuel under the name Heartwell Renewables.

Its new production plant now under construction in Hastings, Nebraska, will have the ability to produce approximately 80 million gallons of renewable diesel fuel annually—while creating 50 new jobs there.

Cargill will provide feedstock in the form of tallow, the animal fat discarded during its beef processing, and also used cooking oil. Once the diesel is produced, the Love’s Family of Companies, which owns and operates truck stops in 41 states, will transport and market the product in the U.S.

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Heartwell Renewables will be the only entity of its kind to both produce and market renewable diesel all the way to the retail pump.

“When considering the environmental benefits and performance enhancements of renewable diesel, the creation of Heartwell Renewables is a long-term win for not only the companies involved, but also for consumers and the environment,” said JP Fjeld-Hansen, a vice president at Love’s Family of Companies.

The production process makes renewable diesel chemically identical to petroleum diesel with significant improvements in environmental performance due to its drop in carbon intensity and emissions. Renewable diesel also has a faster combustion speed, which brings more power to an engine and has been shown to lead to lower vehicle maintenance, according to a company statement.

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“Through the partnership with Love’s, both companies can leverage their unique expertise and resources to address the growing demand for biofuels, while making an impact in the communities where we operate,” said Cargill’s John Niemann.

Operations should start in the spring of 2023. Once the plant opens, it will be one of only a handful of renewable diesel plants in the United States, according to the U.S. Energy Department.

(Featured photo by Khamkéo Vilaysing)

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