Indiana Preps for 80 mgy Biofuel Production Plant

The plant is expected to produce more than 80 million gallons per year (mgy) and will provide 85 jobs, employing about 300 construction workers during the building phase.

An integrated onsite soybean processing plant nearby will provide about 260,000 metric tons of soybean oil for the biodiesel production. In addition, one million tons of protein-rich soybean meal produced each year will be used by the state's livestock and poultry industry.

"Indiana has made dramatic progress in renewable fuels development over the past year. We have grown from one alternative fuels plant to ten by late this year, with more to come," said Daniels. "Agribusiness is a core element of our economic comeback plan, and renewable energy production is the lead item in the agricultural component of our strategy."

The first phase of the Louis Dreyfus project, expected to take 12-18 months, will be a 50-million bushel per year soybean processing plant, followed by the biodiesel production facility. The facilities will be one of the first biodiesel production plants to be integrated with a soybean processing plant.

"We are being aggressive in bringing cutting edge agri-business to Indiana, and this project is a good example of that hard work," said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, who serves as Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development and oversees the Indiana Office of Energy and Defense Development.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered economic development incentives, including up to $95,000 in training grants, $137,500 in infrastructure assistance to the local community, and up to $5,295,000 in tax credits based on anticipated employment and capital investment levels.