Owned by Pacific Biodiesel, a Hawaiian biofuel plant has been the first to be certified as sustainable. The Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance, a nonprofit industry group, commissioned an audit of the plants sustainability by an independent company, and the result was yes. It was the first United States-based certification of sustainability granted for a biodiesel plant, according to the alliance.
At the Pacific Biodiesel refinery, the oils move through a series of stainless steel tanks and columns as they are processed and distilled into fuel. Methanol, a chemical used in the refining, is recycled, and the company is trying to develop local markets for byproducts like glycerin and potassium salts, which can be used as fertilizer. An industry pioneer, the plant was designed with an eye toward conserving water and energy and avoiding environmental harm.
The certification is intended to help clean fuel producers distinguish themselves to customers seeking green products a kind of Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for the environmentally conscious.