News

Northington Energy to build Tennessee biodiesel plant

December 14, 2006 — Northington Energy, a company based in Wyoming, has broken ground on a 7,500-square-foot biodiesel plant in Morgan County, Tennessee. The project will create about 20 jobs.

Company officials said they decided to build in East Tennessee because of its interstate access and the local availability of crops, including soybeans, that are used to make the fuel. The plant will convert soybean oil into biodiesel, a biodegradable and nontoxic fuel additive that has fewer emissions than regular diesel fuel.

Production is scheduled to begin in May 2007 at the facility, which will have the capacity to produce as much as six million gallons of biodiesel annually. About 70 fleets in East Tennessee use the fuel, according to Lisa Horn, Northington's director of new business development. The market is spreading to school systems, public transit systems, and local governments, she said.

Local leaders say the Northington plant will benefit workers, farmers, the area economy, and the environment. It will be located in the Flat Fork Business Park, an environmentally friendly park developed by TVA. The park is located around a nearby wetlands, and it focuses on companies that emphasize environmental responsibility.

Other organizations involved in the development of the park included Morgan County government, the State of Tennessee, the Appalachian Regional Commission, Plateau Electric, and Harriman Utilities.