U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan’s office announced this week that Piedmont Biofuels Industrial in Pittsboro will receive a $139,249 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant for innovative clean-energy research and development.
Hagan said she was impressed during a recent tour of the facility. The grant, she said, is an example of the growing interest in investments in North Carolina’s sustainable-energy industry.
“Our research staff at Piedmont Biofuels is delighted to partner with the Department of Energy and continue our work in the next generation of biofuels production,†said Rachel Burton, director of research at Piedmont Biofuels.
Burton said Piedmont Biofuels will use the funds to develop advanced biodiesel production processes. These processes will enable biodiesel producers to reduce water usage and waste byproduct and use lower-grade feedstocks, such as poultry renderings.
The company currently has 19 employees and hopes to hire additional research staff. The company’s commercial production facility in Pittsboro produces approximately 4,000 gallons of biodiesel a day using waste poultry fat or used cooking oil.
