Biodiesel Pilot Project

 Costilla County
Biodiesel Pilot Project

Ben Doon
Co-Manager/Administrator

Dan Quintana
Co-Manger/Chemist

Phone:  (719) 672-0320 
Fax:      (719) 672-3962

Email:
doon@amigo.net
 

Address:
9511 County Road H
Mesita, CO  81152

Office Hours:
7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Monday through Thursday
No closure for lunch

 Visit From  Governor's Energy Office Executive Director  Tonuj (TJ) Deora

  State Representative Edward Vigil,Commissioner Burns,

Governor's Energy Director Tonuj (TJ) Deora, Ben Doon and

                              Commissioner Martinez 

The Costilla County Commissioners’ Office in a private/public partnership with the Costilla County Economic Development Council (EDC), has built a small-scale, vertically integrated, biodiesel production facility in Mesita, Colorado.  The project was first conceptualized in 2001 by Costilla County District #3 Commissioner Joseph Gallegos.  Ground breaking and construction began in 2004.

The facility purchases locally grown oilseed crops (canola and sunflower) and processes the crops for clean burning, renewable biodiesel fuel.  The by-product of oilseed crushing is a seed cake comprised of the remaining material once the oil has been extracted, which is used as a high protein livestock feed.

BIOGRAPHY:

Ben Doon, Project Co-Manager/Administrator
Ben Doon has twelve years experience working for non-profit organizations as a project planner, field worker, research director and organization director.  He received a BA in English from Geneseo State College, New York in 1993 and an M.A. from the English Department at Colorado University – Boulder in 1998.  In August 2003, Ben completed a three-day course at Iowa State University entitled Business Management for Biodiesel Producers.  Ben has also worked for the Costilla County Commissioners’ Office since 2002 managing grants and performing administrative tasks.

Dan Quintana, Project Co-Manager/Chemist
Dan Quintana was born and raised in San Luis.  He has twenty-two years experience as a chemist, chemical engineer, process engineer and engineering manager in the private sector working for companies such as IBM and StorageTek.  He received a B.S. in Chemistry from Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado.  In March 2004, Dan completed a five-day course at Iowa State University on Biodiesel Technology and Analytical Methods.

FEED MEAL:

Premium high protein expeller pressed canola feed meal cake for livestock is available at the biodiesel facility in Mesita.  Please call 719-672-0320 for more information.