Joint Venture With Love’s Truck Stops Will Produce 80M Gallons of Renewable Biodiesel Made From 100% Waste

The years of work by a giant agricultural company on a sustainable, renewable diesel fuel are finally paying off, and it’s made from 100% waste products.

A 50% joint venture between Cargill and Love’s Travel Stops will produce and market an environmentally friendly fuel under the name Heartwell Renewables.

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

Cargill will provide raw material in the form of tallow, the animal fat that is discarded during the processing of beef, 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 US.

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

“When considering the environmental benefits and performance improvements of renewable diesel, the creation of Heartwell Renewables is a long-term victory not only for the companies involved, but also for consumers and the environment,” said JP Fjeld-Hansen, Vice President, Love 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 burn rate, which brings more power to an engine and has been shown to lead to less 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 also having an impact on the communities where we operate,” said John Niemann of Cargill.

Operations should begin in the spring of 2023. Once the plant opens, it will be one of the few renewable diesel plants in the United States, according to the US Department of Energy.

(Featured photo from Khamkéo Vilaysing)

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