Federal authorities are lending support for a project to expand the production of fuel from agricultural products near an existing oil refinery in central Montana.

On Oct. 16, 2024, refining company Calumet announced that it is planning to expand renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel production at the Montana Renewable Fuels facility north of Great Falls, Montana.

The facility already produces renewable diesel and naphtha from soybeans, canola and corn oil, and beef tallow within the property boundary of Calumet’s more than 100-year-old crude oil refinery.

The Department of Energy awarded Calumet a $1.44 billion conditional loan guarantee for this expansion project. If constructed, the expansion project would allow the facility to produce 30 million gallons of renewable diesel and 300 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually.