Diamond Green Diesel plant restarts after Hurricane Ida

Darling Ingredients Inc., a joint-venture partner with Valero Energy Corp. in the large-scale Diamond Green Diesel renewable diesel production facility in Norco, Louisiana, said the restart of the DGD plant is currently underway after it was idled in advance of Hurricane Ida. The company said normal operations are expected in the next few days.

Ida made landfall in Port Fourchon, Louisiana, as a Category 4 Hurricane Aug. 29.

The company also stated that DGD’s major expansion project, which will take production capacity of renewable diesel from 290 million gallons per year (mgy) to 690 mgy, remains on track to be fully operational by the middle of the fourth quarter this year.

Renewable Energy Group Inc.’s renewable diesel manufacturing facility in Geismar, Louisiana, was also shut down ahead of the hurricane. The company announced that the plant, which is also undergoing a major expansion effort from 90 mgy to 340 mgy, returned to normal operations Sept. 13.