New biofuel plant coming to Plains

By Heather Duncan
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER

February 20, 2007

Former President Jimmy Carter spoke Tuesday at the ground-breaking ceremony for Alterra's biodiesel plant in Plains.
Macon-based Alterra Bioenergy announced plans today to build a biofuel plant in Plains. The company plans to break ground within 30 days.
Former President Jimmy Carter was on hand for the announcement, and he praised renewed efforts to grow the alternative fuels industry. Carter said he backed energy independence initiatives when he was president, and he said those initiatives have been largely abandoned for some time.
Carter also said he hopes to provide feedstocks from his own farm for the operation, which will make biodiesel out of cottonseed, canola, peanut and soybean oil.
The Plains plant will be the second Middle Georgia one under construction. The first one, in Gordon, was announced late last year. President Wayne Johnson said there could be more.
The Gordon plant plans to employ about 25 people in producing 6 million gallons of biodiesel annually and distributing about 30 million gallons of blended fuel.

Former President Jimmy Carter spoke Tuesday at the
ground-breaking ceremony for Alterra's biodiesel plant in Plains.