Drilling Towards a Renewable Revolution
October 30, 2023
Drilling Towards a Renewable Revolution
Non-Road Diesel Engine for Decarbonizing Road Use
Editor: Debbie Reaney
According to researchers, the world is creeping up on its carbon budget. Over the past decade, about 54 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) has been emitted into the atmosphere; 85% of that amount is a result from burning fossil fuels in ways like heating our homes and running our vehicles. To help buy some time on the carbon clock, a joint venture between Love's and Cargill, Heartwell Renewables, is developing a new greenfield renewable fuels plant in Hastings, NE. With an anticipated completion in the summer of 2024, Heartwell Renewables is a unique joint venture between affiliates of The Love's Family of Companies and Cargill to produce and market renewable diesel. Currently, Heartwell Renewables is the only entity of its kind to both manufacture and distribute this fuel all the way to the retail pump.
In this partnership, Cargill will locally source and provide feedstock, primarily made of beef tallow, required for fuel production as well as other low-carbon feedstocks like distiller's corn oil. Cargill has several beef processing plants that are within trucking distance to the Hastings facility, and it is predicted that the plant will produce 80 million gallons of renewable diesel to aid in the decarbonization of road transportation. It can be used in existing petroleum pipelines, storage tanks, and diesel engines without the need for blending--and it is becoming increasingly popular among truck drivers. As another outcome of this environmental investment, the Hastings community anticipates being a host for well-paying, blue-collared work and hopes for Nebraska to be a hub for other sustainable fuel projects in the future.
Nicholson Construction was awarded the job of laying down the foundation for the facility. To install auger cast piles into shallow areas on the site, Nicholson used their previously purchased Comacchio CHF 500 Drill Rig from International Construction Equipment, Inc (ICE®). For areas with tougher soil, a bit more torque was required to drive the piles to depth. An ICE® 115-50 Hydraulic Rotary Head, which delivers up to 122,000 ft-lbs of industry-leading torque, was determined to be the best choice for driving the CFA piles in the hard soil. To make this eco-friendly project even greener, the ICE® 115-50 was paired with a Model 460T Power Unit, one of the several types of Tier 4 Power Units available at ICE®. The CAT diesel engines in Tier 4 Power Units are held to high EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards regarding emissions of particulate matter (PM), or black soot, and nitrogen oxides (NOx). By 2015, these power units have reduced PM and NOx emissions by 99 percent! Fuel economy also improves by up to 5 percent when using Tier 4 Power Units versus Tier 3, cutting down on maintenance costs due to the boosted engine efficiency.
ICE® applauds Nicholson Construction's commitment to initiatives that keep our planet thriving (and green!) for future generations. As noted on their company website, Nicholson's directive is to "reduce our collective impact on the environment by 40% in 2030," and by using foundation equipment and power units like International Construction Equipment's Tier 4 offerings, they are getting closer. Thank you again, Nicholson Construction, ICE® is honored to be working together using advanced emission control technology to help bring this revolutionary fuel from the plant to the retail pump.
Learn more about the ICE® 115-50 and Comacchio's line of large diameter drill rigs.
Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Vice President Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
Vice President IT and IT Comm
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com