June 4, 2014 — The rendering plant in Reedville that produces fish oil from Atlantic menhaden has switched to a different kind of oil to power its facility: common cooking oil recycled from wastewater.
Omega Protein Corporation says its partnership with Scottsdale-based energy company RDX Technologies Corporation has already slashed its fossil fuel consumption by up to 80 percent — a move it calls both economically and environmentally sound.
Since 2012, Omega says it has already cut its plant's sulfur emissions by 80 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by replacing more than 3 million gallons of petroleum oil with EPA-approved, carbon-neutral Renewable Diesel Oil, or RDO.
"By transitioning away from fossil fuels, we've made a breakthrough in our ability to operate even more sustainably," said Monty Deihl, senior director of operations at Omega. "All while reducing costs and improving efficiency."
The two companies are also teaming up to develop a way to supply the plant using oils recovered from local waste. They say doing so will add local jobs, decrease local landfill and cut transportation costs and pollution.
"This is the future of renewables," said Dennis M. Danzik, head of RDX. "Every restaurant, university, hospital, high-rise buildings — they are all oil wells to us."
RDX says it's building new fuel plants in Virginia that will eventually supply Omega with renewable oil that is entirely in-state. Its renewable diesel oil consists mostly of vegetable oils, but can include some animal fats and alcohol.
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