The Glenns Ferry biodiesel plant will have a start-up production capacity of 10 million gallons (37.8 million litres) per year, but will be capable of producing up to 60 million gallons per year at full production.

GSP has developed a continuous-flow, waterless process that requires less than one-third the electrical energy to operate than existing batch plants.

The company will use generators operating on its own biodiesel, and existing electrical utility connections will only be used for emergency backup.

GSP intends to harness waste heat from a nearby co-generation power plant, which will be used to process the biodiesel and also increase the efficiency of the steam power plant.

Boilers will be used as a backup heat source – once again running on the company's own biodiesel.

Instead of using methanol, a non-renewable commodity, to chemically convert feedstock to biodiesel, GSP will use ethanol, a renewable commodity.

GSP said part of the Idaho facility would house an ethanol research facility, which would produce ethanol from a variety of waste products, including cellulose ethanol made from switch grass, wood chips and a variety of waste stalks from local farmers.

The company will only produce enough ethanol to supply its own facility.

President Joseph LaStella said the Idaho facility would be the first of its kind in many aspects.

LaStella said the plant comprised a 27,432sq.m area with modern grain holding facilities and 1000ft railroad spur, and could unload and load railroad cars and trucks from its elevator facilities.

Most of the biodiesel plant equipment has already been shipped to the site and GSP is awaiting final approval to begin construction.