after the facility abruptly shuttered in 2014. The facility was in working order when his colleagues were locked out of the facility, Efird said, but after nearly a year without maintenance, equipment had fallen into disrepair and began to leak.
“I really do think Houston is going to lead a lot of this energy transition,” he said, “because this is where the expertise is.”That expertise faces a daunting challenge. Access to low-carbon feedstocks is a hurdle for the growing industry and a sticking point for environmentalists, as biofuels makers often are forced to take in soybean oil, which is plentiful but has a high carbon-intensity, to sustain their operations.
To that end, Efird said his company is working with BP on developing pathways to get fish grease and used cooking oils onto tankers and to the West Coast, which also could be sold to other regional refiners. “It allows us to lock in, if you will, or to establish proprietary access,” Efird said. “We won't need that material ourselves until the facility comes online, but the industry overall is growing.