Omega Protein and RDX Technologies Replace Fossil Fuels with Renewable, Low-Cost, Clean Diesel

24 Jun 2014 --- A successful partnership with energy company RDX Technologies Corporation is helping Omega Protein Corporation cut energy costs, and decrease fossil fuel consumption by up to 80 percent at its Virginia facility.

The groundbreaking new fuel source provided by RDX Technologies is an EPA-approved, carbon-neutral Renewable Diesel Oil (RDO) made from everyday food and cooking oils collected from wastewater. Since 2012, Omega Protein has replaced over 3 million gallons of residual oil with RDO fuel, decreasing the Reedville facility’s sulfur emissions by 80 percent, and lowering its greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent.

"Omega Protein's dedication to waste reduction and sustainability has found an ally in RDX Technologies and their Renewable Diesel Oil," said Monty Deihl, Senior Director of Operations at Omega Protein. "By transitioning away from fossil fuels, we’ve made breakthroughs in our ability to operate even more sustainably, all while reducing costs and improving efficiency."

Going forward, the two companies are working to further streamline the program by developing a growing infrastructure to supply the renewable fuel from local, in-state waste sources. Waste oils for RDO primarily consist of soy, canola, and similar vegetable oils, but can include additional sources such as animal fats and alcohols. These oils are currently collected from wastewater discards all around the country, but RDX Technologies is constructing a handful of new fuel plants in Virginia to eventually source and ship Omega Protein's renewable oil entirely in-state. This will bring new jobs to Virginia, decrease area landfill, and curtail transportation costs and pollution.

The growing partnership also means more savings for Virginia communities. Each year in the United States, around six billion gallons of these recyclable oils are dumped into sewage systems and end up solidified in landfills. Besides being wasteful, this is an expensive process for many businesses, which have to pay disposal fees, and for local municipalities, which are then tasked with costly water treatment. RDX Technologies collects these wastewater oils before they are processed, which saves unneeded energy and expenses for Virginia businesses and communities.

"This is the future of renewables," said Dennis M. Danzik, CEO of RDX Technologies. "Every restaurant, university, hospital, high rise buildings… they are all oil wells to us."

For Omega Protein, the benefits of RDO have been economically and environmentally rewarding. Since RDO is derived from waste, it sells for less than the residual oil previously used by Omega Protein's Reedville plant, while providing substantial environmental advantages. RDO has a 98 percent lower sulfur content, produces 58 to 80 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions, and generates up to 60 percent lower carbon emissions than the previously used non-renewable residual oil. 

It also burns cleaner, releasing no benzene – a known airborne carcinogen found in fossil fuels. Throughout this transition, Omega has advanced the company's environmental goals while improving their bottom-line: a remarkable win-win scenario.

The partnership is truly mutual. RDX Technologies and Omega Protein were both instrumental in the coordinated establishment of a working RDO supply chain for Omega Protein’s Reedville plant, which enabled the swift transition to this cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative.

Omega Protein Corporation is a century old nutritional company that develops, produces and delivers healthy products throughout the world to improve the nutritional integrity of functional foods, dietary supplements and animal feeds. Omega Protein’s mission is to help people lead healthier lives with better nutrition through sustainably sourced ingredients such as highly-refined omega-3 rich fish oil, specialty proteins and nutraceuticals.

RDX Technologies Corporation is an energy and water treatment technology company. The company is applying proprietary technology to refine liquid fuels from materials mined from waste water generated from industrial and commercial sources. These markets include a wide variety of clients across a broad spectrum of industries.