uebtootoo200901

A Bad Axe entrepreneur appears to be making all the right moves to build a $65 million plant that could pump out 20 million gallons of biodiesel fuel a year by late 2010 or early 2011. Connecticut transplant Bill Moran, founder and CEO of HuronBiofuels, sure chose the right spot for his venture near Elkton .The Thumb and nearby counties are the heart of Michigan Soybean Oil country. Dead-center in Michigan's largest dairy region. Bingo: With fuel for transportation costly, soybean farmers maylook to a nearby market for their crop. Dairy farmers who usecrushed soybeans from oil processing wouldn't have far to go fortheir high-protein feed. Moran plans to build in two phases: One, to make soybean oil,possibly for use in food if the fuel market is bad; the second, toprocess that oil into biodiesel fuel. He has experience in multimillion-dollar projects, came to the areaseveral years ago with the wind energy industry's NobleEnvironmental Power and says he has most of his financing lined up. Moran has discussed his project with the only other soybean oilplant in the area, Thumb Oilseed Producers Cooperative of Ubly, andthere don't appear to be conflicts with the markets for eachplant's products. He's now seeking government permits. With one eye on agriculture and the other on fuel, Huron Biofuel'sfounder may strike a gusher with soybean oil processing. Whether used for food or fuel, it all would be good for soybean oilfrom Huron Biofuels. Its 60 new jobs and potential to increase our area's growingalternative energy sector would be very, very good for our localeconomies. Just a little fuel - or food - for thought.