R. Delbert LeTang founded SG Preston in July 2012 after having spent a few years in the private investment industry and realizing that there was a tremendous opportunity to bring efficiency and tangible solutions to the global renewable energy challenge.
Based in Philadelphia, SG Preston announced in August 2014 it was planning a $400-million, 120-million-gallon renewable diesel facility in Lawrence County, Ohio.
The SGP South Point facility is expected to be the world's largest purpose-built producer of renewable diesel upon completion, estimated to occur in 2017, according to the company. LeTang, who serves as president and CEO of SG Preston, says this project is an important milestone for the company.
“For SG Preston, this is an important milestone and part of a larger vision of partnering with leading, global refining technology partners and local communities to develop a portfolio of renewable diesel and renewable jet fuel refineries targeting 1.2 billion gallons per year, or 20 percent of the federal RFS2 biomass-based mandate for biofuels,” says LeTang.
He continues, “We see a blue sky opportunity to deliver customized, renewable fuel to government, the petroleum industry and other private users throughout the United States, and we look forward to partnering with the people of southern Ohio to build new industries and new economic opportunity."
LeTang answered additional questions about SG Preston’s company strategy for Renewable Energy from Waste magazine.
Q: What energy sectors or processes do you specialize in? Why did you choose those?
A: We specialize in all processes which convert various forms of waste product to energy and fuels. Initially, we are focusing on waste wood to wood chips and pellets as well as fats, oils and greases to biofuels, such as renewable diesel and jet fuel. We believe in a bioenergy economy, and that that emerging economy has the potential of surpassing the growth and sustainability of all of the other technologies (wind, solar and natural gas) combined.
Q: What makes you different from your competitors?
A: What makes us different is our focus on tangible solutions, being an additive solution to the end customer, rather than a mandated and dilutive challenge to their product mix (what we refer to as “smarter energy solutions”) and deploying a business model that is profitable without incentives.
