A biofuels company that has been sizing up South Carolina’s wood waste potential will not build a biofuels operation in the state, according to a statement Tuesday from Colorado-based Red Rock Biofuels.
“At this time, Red Rock has no active plans for a refinery in South Carolina,” said Jen Kaye, who works for the communications firm representing Red Rock. It isn’t clear how definitively South Carolina has been passed up.
“Last year, Red Rock Biofuels LLC … was asked to participate in a feasibility project with South Carolina Clean Energy Business Alliance (SCCEBA) in South Carolina, where the Red Rock and others explored the woody biomass market,” said Jeff Manternach, Red Rock’s co-founder and CFO. His comment, submitted through Kaye, was a response to an inquiry about whether South Carolina had been selected.
“Red Rock has been working with SCCEBA and a number of other project partners to identify potential sites in South Carolina and beyond for future renewable fuel refineries beyond its first planned refinery in Lakeview, Ore.,” Manternach said.
The feasibility study was completed more than two months ago, but SCCEBA declined to provide the draft to a reporter until the document was ready for public release. Two studies were completed with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one focused on industrial biofuel production from algae in Colleton County and another on creating biofuels from waste-wood products in Clarendon County.
From the Savannah Morning News: http://savannahnow.com/news/2015-08-11/door-closed-tapping-south-carolinas-wood-waste