First East Tenn. biodiesel production facility opens

First East Tenn. biodiesel production facility opens

By ANN KEIL
6 News Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Fryer grease from 30 Knoxville area restaurants will soon be used in the area's first biodiesel production facility. The ribbon cutting ceremony was Wednesday.

The facility is small, but effective according to the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), the local non-profit that partnered with the University of Tennessee to make the facility possible.

"It's a win-win. It cleans up the environment by cleaning up the waste. Then, it also cleans up the environment by providing renewable fuels," says SACE Director Dr. Stephen Smith.

"It basically displaces petroleum so every gallon we produce here is one less gallon we're buying from the Middle East. It also helps improve the air quality," Smith explains.

He calls biodiesel one of the fuels of the future that can be produced locally. That fuel will soon go to UT and local governments to help power their vehicles.

The grease will need to flow through a series of trucks and tanks built using almost $500,000.

"We also see it as an economic development tool for the state, rural areas especially. There are lots of opportunities here for biofuels, and we feel like Tennessee is well positioned to be the leader in the nation," says UT project coordinator Sam Jackson.

The facility might also supply biodiesel to community businesses in the future, but in the meantime it will be used as a hands-on research center for UT students.