The Biomass Energy Conversion Facility, located in Nevada, is set to expand its operational output of biodiesel fuel later this month after undergoing $500,000 in renovations.

The facility was originally created seven years ago by the Iowa Energy Center to “bridge gaps between lab research and real world applications” with biodiesel, according to the facility’s Web site.

With renovations, the facility will be able to produce biodiesel 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sixty gallons of biodiesel will be produced continuously every hour, said Norm Olson, facility manager.

Previously the plant used a batch process, where about 55 gallons would be produced per single batch a couple of times a day, Olson said.

“The plant will have extensive automation,” Olson said.

The facility is one of the only ones in the United States at a pilot scale, Olson said. He said this means the facility focuses on research and training, rather than strictly commercial activities. Olson said 99 percent of the parts in big commercial operations were at the Biomass Energy Conversion Center.

Talk of shutting down the facility last year because of senior staff turn-over left the future of the plant uncertain, he said, but private companies were instrumental in funding the $500,000 renovation.

Private companies helped finance the changes because the pilot plant offered a place to conduct research and training for their commercial operations, said Kirk Cobb, a process design engineer for Superior Process Technologies.

Mid-States Biodiesel of Hampton and Superior Process Technologies of Minneapolis were the primary financiers of the renovation, Olson said.

Cobb said his company works on the design and engineering of biodiesel plants and one reason his company funded the project was to “demonstrate our technology.”

Cobb said his company’s work is virtually done and the plant is in a commissioned stage.

Olson said biodiesel is beneficial because it reduces dependency on foreign fuels and helps the rural economy. He said biodiesel is better for the environment.