Chris Buckley, Aug 11, 2022

New Rise Renewables Reno, a local clean energy company, is building a plant to produce renewable diesel in the coming months. They've set up shop in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center in Storey County. The facility is the first of its kind in the region.

"It's the first one on the West Coast," said New Rise Renewables Reno Owner Randy Soule. "We're putting it on the West Coast because California has more incentives for the fuel product. Nevada is also becoming very renewable-wise, and there are customers in this park who have desired and want the renewable diesel."

Renewable diesel is made out of plant oils. It's fairly new to the industry, but is growing in popularity.

"It's probably only been around the last six or seven years," Soule said. "And it's really now grown into the popular renewable diesel fuel, as opposed to biodiesel or the other renewables."

He says it's cleaner and more versatile than biodiesel, and it doesn't have to be blended.

"You drop it right in and run your truck, and it runs better, cleaner, and even more powerful," Soule said. "It's the exact compound you want to burn in your engine because it matches diesel fuel exactly. So it's what the new industry wants. This is what everyone wants to be using in their engines, no harm to them; it's the perfect clean molecule."

New Rise has been working with Greater Commercial Lending on financing for the project, a big portion of it guaranteed by the USDA.

"Prior to this project being funded in late 2017, it was the first renewable bioenergy, chemical or manufacturing loan under that program in the last 12 years," said Jeremy Gilpin with Greater Commercial Lending. "So from a governmental standpoint, it's a big day so for all of us involved. I couldn't be more proud of everybody in our organization, more proud of people from New Rise Renewables."

And there's room to expand.

"If we wanted to, we could convert this facility to renewable jet fuel if we needed to," Soule said. "And there's land across the street here. We're working with Storey County and the park, looking at potentially putting in a jet fuel facility."

The hope is to have the new plant up and running by early next year.

"When it gets up and running, this plant will put out about 170,000 gallons a day," Soule said. "That's quite a bit of fuel, but in the big picture of things it's just a drop right now. Everything that comes out of this plant will go to Phillips 66 and Phillips 66 will distribute it out to all the different customers that want to use renewable diesel."