Renewable Energy Group

Renewable Energy Group

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Renewable energy, biodiesel production
Predecessor	West Central Cooperative biodiesel segment
Founded	2006
Headquarters	Ames , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Cynthia Warner (CEO)
Products	Biodiesel, biofuels
Parent	Chevron Corporation

Renewable Energy Group is a producer of biodiesel headquartered in Ames, Iowa, operating a network of 12 biorefineries along with a facility dedicated to feedstock processing. At one point, it was recognized as a Fortune 1000 company.

History

Originally established in 1996 as the biodiesel segment of West Central Cooperative with operations in Ralston, Iowa, Renewable Energy Group became an independent entity in 2006 and moved its corporate headquarters to Ames.

In 2013, REG expanded by acquiring Syntroleum Corporation, a biofuels company based in Tulsa facing financial difficulties. Two years later, in 2015, the company further grew by purchasing assets from Imperium Renewables, a biodiesel firm located in Seattle.

On February 28, 2022, Chevron Corporation, headquartered in California, announced its plans to acquire Renewable Energy Group. This transaction was finalized on June 13, 2022.

Leadership

After separating from West Central Cooperative, Jeff Stroburg took on the role of the first CEO. He was followed by Daniel Oh in 2011. Upon Oh’s sudden departure in 2017, Reginald Howard served as interim CEO until Cynthia Warner assumed leadership in 2018.

Plant explosions

The InterWest plant in Ralston, which was operated by the predecessor company, experienced a major explosion in June 2001 that critically injured one worker. Additionally, Renewable Energy Group’s biofuels facility in Geismar, Louisiana encountered explosions twice during 2015—in April and September. These events resulted in OSHA issuing three "willful" safety violation citations and levying a $70,000 penalty against the company.