From trash to treasure: Chevron REG researches biodiesel advances
AMES, IOWA (August 22, 2025) - In 1996, farmers at the West Central Cooperative in Ralston were looking for new markets for their unused soybean oil. The co-op built a biodiesel plant, converting the soybean oil into biodiesel fuel under the brand name SoyPOWER. After its initial success, the group opened one of the world’s largest continuous-flow plants for processing soybean oil into biodiesel fuel and launched Renewable Energy Group in 2003. The company acquired several biorefineries across the country, including one in Newton. In 2012, the company went public and reached $1 billion in annual revenue. In 2017, REG produced its 2 billionth gallon of biomass-based diesel. Then in 2022, REG was acquired by Chevron for $3.15 billion, becoming Chevron Renewable Energy Group.
Today, Chevron REG researchers are settling into the company’s newest facility, the Ames Technology Center. In June, a grand opening was celebrated for the 45,000-square-foot center, which is adjacent to two Chevron REG office buildings. Among the nine biorefineries owned globally by Chevron, two are in Iowa, one in Mason City and one in Newton.
There are 275 employees working at the Chevron REG Ames campus, where they focus on developing technology that can produce lower-carbon fuels by using renewable sources, like fats and oils. Parent company Chevron is investing more than $8 billion to create a higher return on converting byproduct fats and oils, known as feedstocks, into biodiesel and renewable diesel. In the new Ames facility, 25 employees focus on scaling and commercializing biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, renewable natural gas and other biofuels. The company recently expanded renewable diesel production at its Geismar, La., facility, from 90 million gallons to 340 million gallons per year. That kind of production increase is the result, in part, of the research done in Ames.
“The mission of the lab and the folks who are associated with the work being done here is to accelerate the development of technologies and technical capabilities to deliver higher returns for our lower-carbon transportation fuels, specifically, biodiesel and renewable diesel,” said Martin Haverly, director of research and development and innovation at Chevron REG in Ames.
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Originally published by the Business Record in August 2025