From fryer to fuel injector?Elgin man seeks permit for plant to turn vegetable oil into biodiesel

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GENOA - An Elgin man is looking to get in on what some say could be the future of energy in America by setting up a small-scale biodiesel production facility in Genoa. Donald Eaton has applied for zoning changes that would allow him to begin producing vegetable-oil-based biodiesel in a 40-by-40-foot building at 115 Monroe St., Suite 2. &#8220I'm really confident that this is really the wave of the future,” Eaton, a retired computer consultant and manager, said Thursday. His plan is to begin by selling biodiesel to homeowners with heating systems fueled by heating oil and later to expand into vehicle fuel sales. He hopes his one-man company will eventually grow to about 12 employees. Biodiesel can &#8220completely eliminate our reliance on foreign oil,” Eaton said. He listed its advantages to fossil fuel: It's cleaner, it doesn't contribute to global warming, it's renewable, and it extends the life of traditional diesel engines. Plus, with a gallon of petroleum-based diesel running at about $3 a gallon, it could be a lot cheaper. He said it costs about 70 cents a gallon to produce, not including the cost of the vegetable oil, which could be soybean oil or recycled oil from restaurant deep fryers. He said he is shooting for a sale price of $2.25 a gallon for biodiesel used in engines. A plan commission hearing on his proposal is scheduled for Sept. 14. Genoa Economic Development Director Joe Misurelli said the building Eaton wants to use is in the city's Central Business and Civic District, which does not allow for uses like the one Eaton is proposing. Misurelli said that first the city would have to approve allowing such uses in the area, and then it would have to approve a special-use permit for Eaton's venture. The building is not directly adjacent to any homes, but there is a residential area nearby, Misurelli said. Alcohol and lye are primary additives needed to turn vegetable oil into biodiesel. The main byproduct is glycerin, which Eaton said can be resold. Glycerin is a common additive in products ranging from laxatives to food coloring. Eaton said the production process is safe, odor-free and efficient. &#8220The only thing that is not usable is any residual byproduct found in used restaurant oil,” he said, like tiny pieces of french fries or fish. There is only one large-scale biodiesel production facility in Illinois now, according to the National Biodiesel Board, an industry association and lobbying group. The Stepan Co. in Elwood makes biodiesel out of soybean oil. Chris Rickert can be reached at crickert@daily-chronicle.com.