Hastings biodiesel plant delayed again after ownership change

A long-delayed biodiesel plant has announced that it’s under new ownership – sort of.

The Love’s Family of Companies, which had been part of a joint venture with Cargill to develop the Heartwell Renewables plant near Hastings, said Thursday it has taken 100% ownership of the project.

The ownership change actually took place at the end of July, according to a news release. Cargill remains part of the project as the provider of the main feedstock, animal tallow, which will be converted to biodiesel fuel. The facility will also be able to use waste fats and oils, cover crops and vegetable oils

The plant, which at full capacity is projected to produce 80 million gallons of biodiesel fuel annually, has faced numerous delays.

When plans were first announced in April 2021, its expected startup date was sometime in 2023.

When a groundbreaking occurred in the fall of 2022, that startup date was pushed to 2024. Now, the projected opening date is sometime in the second half of 2026.

The delays have been blamed on labor shortages and supply chain issues.