News
New England Public Radio - Sept 27, 2022 - Greenfield biodiesel plant to start operation, aims to produce 2M gallons of fuel per year
WAMC - Sept 27, 2022 - Biodiesel plant in Greenfield begins production
Greenfield Recorder - Sept 27, 2022 - ‘A feel-good product for the environment’: Greenfield celebrates launch of Northeast Biodiesel plant
and from Jan....
Greenfield Recorder - Jan 16, 2022 - Biofuel plant in Greenfield gearing up to start operation
Northeast Biodiesel Company LLC is now making biodiesel!
You might wonder if you heard that correctly, but you did. After so many years, of extraordinary effort and fund raising and patience, it’s now finally our time to shine.
A couple years ago the Board asked the Northeast Biodiesel and Co-op Power lenders if we could sell the plant, but then, Wellspring and LEAF helped us see how the investors and lenders could benefit more if we were to restructure their loans and investments and secure new capital to launch. It was a no brainer… and it worked.
Over the last few months we borrowed $1.364M, hired and trained staff, and the staff, under the leadership of Rick Durepo, a seasoned chemical plant manager, and Dale Bourbeau, a talented plant operator, have combed through every inch of tank, pipe, pump and sensor to get the processor up and running.
RSVP to attend the Sat Oct 1st Celebration!
After so many starts and stops, we wanted to wait to celebrate until we really knew we had something sure to celebrate… and now that the processor is starting to make biodiesel, we do.
With the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, we have even more reason to celebrate. The on-again, off-again $1/gal federal biomass-based diesel blending credit was set to expire on Dec. 31, but was extended to Dec. 31, 2024. With this extension we’ll be able to repay our very patient lenders and investors sooner than we had hoped. Thank you all for your support and your patience. It is paying off!
Here’s the schedule for October 1st at Northeast Biodiesel, 179 Silvio O. Conte Drive, Greenfield MA (in the Greenfield Industrial Park.) Please RSVP and join us!
1:00 - 2:15 pm Concurrent Roundtables
TENT: Biodiesel Industry Overview
OFFICE: The latest in EV’s
2:30 - 3:45 pm Concurrent Roundtables
TENT: Northeast Biodiesel Plant Operations - Inputs, Processing, and Sales
OFFICE: What the Inflation Reduction Act means for Nonprofits, Municipalities, & Co-op Power
4:00 - 5:15 pm Concurrent Roundtables
Community Participation Opportunities - Recruiting restaurants and cafeterias, Home Heating Oil Dealer B20 sales advocacy, Commercial sales account recruitment for heating and transportation, Recruiting worker-owners for new open positions
Racial Justice Sea Change in Government and Corporate Accountability
5:30 - 8:00 pm Potluck Dinner and Dancing to live local band Thrasher Wheat (Neil Young and Grateful Dead cover band)
We hope you’ll be able to join us to celebrate this important milestone for Co-op Power, NEB Worker Co-op and Northeast Biodiesel Company LLC!!
Please observe sound covid practices. Test before you come and use a mask indoors. All of the biodiesel workshops and our evening potluck and live music will be outdoors, so please dress for the weather.
All the best,
Lynn Benander, President Northeast Biodiesel and Co-op Power
PS You are also welcome to join us for the launch press conference on Tues Sept 27 at 11 am at the plant. We’ll be joined by the Greenfield Mayor, Roxanne Wedegartner, Representative Paul Mark, Representative Susannah Whipps and other elected officials.
Northeast Biodiesel secures $1.3 million funding to start biodiesel production in Greenfield, MA facility
Organized as a worker-owned cooperative, Northeast Biodiesel demonstrates its commitment to economic, social and environmental justice by producing biodiesel from used cooking oil
Greenfield Mass., June 6, 2022 – Northeast Biodiesel Corporation LLC (Northeast Biodiesel), a Massachusetts-based worker-owned cooperative, completed the funding of the startup of its 1.75 million gallon per year biodiesel facility located in Greenfield, Massachusetts. This funding allows the company to commence the production of US biodiesel standard ASTM D6751 compliant biodiesel at the completed Greenfield facility by processing used cooking oil, and is expected to accelerate Northeast Biodiesel’s plans to expand its annual production capacity to 3.5 million gallons gallon per year to supply local and regional markets with a cleaner alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuel.
This funding also included the completion of the restructuring of Northeast Biodiesel balance sheet that resulted in reduced indebtedness and a streamlined capital structure. The plant in the Greenfield Industrial Park was fully operational in 2018 but did not have the funding to hire workers or purchase feedstock. The process of raising new funding required patience and understanding from the existing investors, who are primarily local individuals making small investments to improve the local economy. As board chair Sam Bartlett explained “Most conventional bottom-line oriented business would not have persevered this long, but our board and our investors and lenders are really determined to have more local control over our energy production, and to provide good local jobs. It is especially exciting to have a plant that is staffed by people who will have an ownership stake in the business."
The lenders in this round were The Life Initiative (TLI), Massachusetts Development Finance Agency (MassDev), Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF), Franklin County CDC (FCCDC), Cooperative Fund of the Northeast (CFNE), and other community members and stakeholders.
Dorian Gregory, Deputy Executive Director of CFNE said “Cooperative Fund of the Northeast is excited to collaborate in financing the launch of this multi-stakeholder cooperatively-owned clean energy project. This is a great example of solidarity among many people and organizations over many years to prioritize bringing solutions to the climate crisis through quality jobs and shared community ownership.”
Elevate Small Business, the technical assistance arm of LEAF, acted as the financial advisor to Northeast Biodiesel. Legal assistance was provided by Jason Wiener p.c., based in Cambridge, MA & Shoreham, VT, Moulton Law Group of Burlington VT and Flanders Law Offices in Shelburne Falls, MA.. Wellspring Cooperative of Springfield, MA provided cooperative development assistance.
More about Northeast Biodiesel:
Northeast Biodiesel, LLC, (www.northeastbiodiesel.com) is a biofuel manufacturing company with a plant in Greenfield, Massachusetts, committed to producing high quality, renewable fuel in the most sustainable way: with recycled cooking oil. The premium biodiesel that Northeast Biodiesel will be producing can be used in any oil heat system or diesel engine reducing carbon emissions, improving engine performance, and improving air quality. Northeast Biodiesel has contracted with NEB Workers Cooperative, a worker/owner cooperative, to provide services for the plant’s operation, with the intent that the of NEB Workers Cooperative will become owners of the plant, along with Northeast Biodiesel's majority owner, Co-op Power, (www.cooppower.coop). Coop Power is a renewable energy cooperative owned by consumers from around New England and New York.
More about our investors and advisors:
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF) is a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) that promotes human and economic development by supporting the growth of cooperatives and social enterprises. Based in Boston, LEAF's loan fund provides financing for co-ops nationally. LEAF's technical assistance program, Elevate Small Business, offers consulting and capital advisory services to women- and minority-owned enterprises and mission-aligned businesses, such as Northeast Biodiesel.
“Northeast Biodiesel demonstrates the power of community-based initiatives in tackling major challenges such as economic justice and climate change. LEAF is honored to have stood by and offered its support to the Northeast Biodiesel community.”
- Amine Benali, Managing Director
MassDevelopment, the state’s development finance agency and land bank, works with businesses, nonprofits, banks, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2021, MassDevelopment financed or managed 416 projects generating investment of more than $1.86 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are estimated to create or support 6,578 jobs and build or preserve 1,909 housing units.
“MassDevelopment is proud to join with lending partners and clients who recognize that the climate crisis demands our immediate attention,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera. “Our affordable financing solutions can help innovative clean energy companies like Northeast Biodiesel purchase equipment, fund expansions, and create quality jobs in Massachusetts.”
The Life Initiative (TLI) was established in 1999 with $100 million from MA based life insurance companies. To date TLI has invested over $600 million in projects that benefit low and moderate income communities and households, and defines itself as a dual bottom line fund.
“The Life Initiative is excited to be playing a role in the Northeast Biodiesel operations by providing startup capital and working capital support. This project encapsulates our mission to provide new job opportunities in the Commonwealth. This project has the added benefits of supporting employee ownership, reducing the local reliance on fossil fuels and making strides towards energy independence. We are honored to partner with an organization like Northeast Biodiesel and look forward to future projects in Greenfield and beyond.”
Brandon E. Braxton, Vice President, The Life Initiative
The Cooperative Fund of the Northeast, Inc., is a non-profit loan fund dedicated to a vision of economic justice for all through thriving cooperative enterprises. We work for economic, social, and racial justice by advancing community based, cooperative, and democratically owned or managed enterprises with a preference to assisting cooperatives in low-income communities by providing financial products at reasonable rates, developing business skills, and offering an investment opportunity that promotes socially conscious enterprise.
Headquartered in Greenfield, Massachusetts, the Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC) is an economic development non-profit organization providing comprehensive business development education, access to capital, commercial office and manufacturing space plus home of the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center.
The FCCDC was formed in 1979 to maximize community control and our economic destiny. At that time, a number of manufacturing companies in the area were closing and moving elsewhere. The FCCDC has changed over the years as the needs of the community have changed. Yet our programs and activities are still geared toward stimulating a robust economy that closely fits our sense of place – our hills and valleys, and our towns and villages while expanding opportunities for all residents, especially those who have experienced challenges with access to capital.
Oct 21, 2021
The founding members of the Northeast Biodiesel Workers’ Coop have met and agreed to Articles of Organization, effectively forming a coop. These workers plus others that they recruit will be the owners of the coop that provides workers for Northeast Biodiesel. They will continue meeting to approve bylaws (“Operating Agreement”) and Membership Agreement. These documents have been substantially developed by the Board of Managers, but the board welcomes the input and approval of the workers’ coop members. This is an exciting and major step toward launching our biodiesel plant.
Northeast biodiesel is seeking workers interested in starting up and being part owners in a manufacturing business making biodiesel from used cooking oil in the Greenfield Massachusetts industrial park. The biodiesel we make will be used in oil heat systems and diesel engines.
The plant is already built, permitted, and ready to launch once final financing has been secured and the processor is commissioned. New hires need to be in place for our anticipated launch in November or December. The federal government voted in December 2019, to give a one dollar a gallon credit For each gallon of biodiesel produced, so we will be launching the plant under very good financial conditions.
The plant will be owned by Co-op Power, an energy cooperative, and the people who work at the plant. This is a great opportunity to be an active owner in your workplace. In addition to salary or hourly wages, all worker owners share in the profits each year and participate in major decisions impacting the business. Workers become owners by purchasing an equity share paid out of their annual patronage distributions up to the individual cumulative total. Equity contributions may also be made now with sweat equity by helping with start-up activities.
Hiring and Start date are dependent on availability of funding. Fundraising is on-going.
SUMMARY
Carries out activities as a worker-owner of a worker-cooperative, biodiesel production facility to obtain optimum efficiency and economy of operations, to produce high quality fuel, and maximize profits.
For more information, and to apply for the Senior Production Operator job, go to:
https://www.indeed.com/job/senior-biodiesel-production-operator-346a5b7756e2a6d3
For the Production operator job, go to:
https://www.indeed.com/job/biodiesel-production-operator-8315aef6352e4ece
Another nice feature in The Recorder this week talked about how the project has been financed by a supportive community and its 'patient capital.'
"If you think there’s alchemy in turning waste french-fry oil and stir-fry oil into fuel for diesel vehicles and home heating, consider the magic of building a biodiesel factory in the Greenfield Industrial Park — and ensuring that it is a locally owned, co-operative venture..." Continue here.
"Northeast Biodiesel LLC, owned by the Florence-based Co-Op Power energy cooperative, received its temporary certificate of occupancy last week as well as its first delivery of waste vegetable oil, to be used in its British-made Green Fuels processor that will begin churning out 1.75 million gallons a year of heating oil and diesel fuel in the coming weeks."
Read on here.
Our recycled-oil-to-biodiesel refinery in Greenfield, MA, is now hiring staff in anticipation of starting up operation! The plant will collect used cooking oil from around the region and turn it into fuel for trucks, tractors, cars, and home heating oil systems. If you know someone looking for good work in western Massachusetts, send them here.
BOSTON – Sometime next month a new plant in Greenfield should start cranking out clean biodiesel fuel that is manufactured from recycled cooking oil. Co-op Power CEO Lynn Benander says the plant will take cooking oil waste from restaurants, schools and institutions in the area and convert it into millions of gallons of a clean source of energy that works in both vehicles and for heating homes.
Read more and listen here.
By RICHIE DAVIS For the Gazette - Sep 4, 2015
Long in the planning to ensure it is locally owned, the Northeast Biodiesel plant nearly ready at the Greenfield Industrial Park is getting a final boost from a 160-member, community-based nonprofit finance system.
The $200,000, seven-year loan is provided by Ashfield-based Common Good Finance to Co-op Power, a Hatfield-based energy cooperative that is developing the $4.2 million biodiesel plant. It will cap a six-month campaign to raise the final $850,000 so the plant can begin producing biodiesel fuel from used vegetable oil.
