The strategic alliance between Tyson Foods and ConocoPhillips to produce an innovative renewable diesel fuel could add a few workers to the local Tyson Fresh Meats plant while introducing a new type of supplement to the traditional petroleum-based diesel fuel supply.
In an announcement on Monday, the companies said they had collaborated about a year on the project, which will combine Tyson’s knowledge of protein chemistry and production with ConocoPhillips’ processing and marketing expertise. ConocoPhillips already had begun commercial production of renewable diesel using soybean oil in Ireland late last year.
“This is a great first step for us,” said Jeff Webster, general manager of Tyson Renewable Energy, which was formed in November 2006. “...It took us a while. It’s been a great process.”
The new product that will be produced in the cooperative effort will use fat by-products from beef, pork, and chicken processed at Tyson plants around the country.
In Emporia, the renewable energy division could result in adding a limited number of employees in the areas of quality assurance, off-loading and related functions, because the local plant will have beef tallow to render. Tyson has existing rendering plants in other states and is not planning one for Emporia at this time.
Initially, the by-products will be taken to a Tyson plant in Amarillo, Texas, that already processes those substances, Webster said.
The processed by-products will be taken to ConocoPhillips plant in Borger, Texas, about 50 miles away, to be refined into the diesel fuel.
Tyson also has plants in Ponca City and Illinois that could handle the by-products as the new division grows.
“The exciting part about this really, in a state like Kansas, is what does it mean to animal agriculture?” Webster said.
johnsie (anonymous) says...
"would add a few new workers" - - would they be illegals, Samolians or Asians?
April 17, 2007 at 6:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sciguy (anonymous) says...
Is this going to increase the odor output of the plant even without a new rendering facility?
If they build a rendering plant, it needs to be at least 10-20 miles outside of town, preferably downwind. Take the whole plant with them. (See the Garden City plant for an example.)
The plant was built too close to the city proper to begin with. People born here, and people who live in "Stink Alley" in town, don't realize just how nauseating the plant can be three or four days out of every week.
April 17, 2007 at 6:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )