DOVE CREEK, Colo.-
This corner of southwestern Colorado, known for its pinto beans, may soon be a major producer of another crop: sunflowers.
By next spring a sunflower plant could be producing 5 million gallons of the cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel.
San Juan Biodiesel is moving ahead with plans to produce the fuel and related products from sunflowers, a crop that appears well-suited to the arid West’s lower elevations, Jeff Berman told Club 20 at its spring meeting Saturday at Two Rivers Convention Center. The organization lobbies for the interests of western Colorado.
Berman, general manager of the company, said biodiesel from sunflower seeds has potential on its own as a fuel and as an additive to regular diesel. The alternative fuel has greater lubricating qualities than diesel, especially the low-sulfur variety.
It also reduces national demand for imported oil.
Dolores County has gotten a $100,000 grant from the state to help develop the project. Berman said the company is in negotiations with three lenders and plans to begin construction soon, he said. The plant would draw from about 100,000 acres within 200 miles.
“We had 23 farmers grow for us last year without a plant or any financing to pay them,” he said.
Initially the product would be sold as sunflower oil, and then converted to biodiesel, depending on demand.
Leftover product would be used for animal feed.
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Information from: The Daily Sentinel,
