Northeast Biodiesel’s recent closing is disappointing for many reasons. One is that our region’s used cooking oil will continue to be exported to other countries that have the infrastructure to recycle it into heating and transportation fuel. Another is the loss of a potential anchor for our region’s growing co-op movement.

The Greenfield business was organized as a joint worker-consumer cooperative owned both by workers seeking good green jobs and by homeowners and businesses looking for sustainable heating and transportation fuel. As a member of Co-op Power on the consumer side of the arrangement, I’m giving a shoutout to the workers who saw an opportunity to improve life here in western Massachusetts and in the world while facing two daunting challenges.

One major task facing the workers was restarting an operation that had lain dormant for some time. It needed weeks to ready it for shakedown and then months more for repairs and replacements. In that time they demonstrated impressive skills and knowledge in construction, maintenance and manufacturing, as well as an admirable commitment to workplace safety.

The second huge challenge was simultaneously starting up a worker cooperative. This involved learning how to work together as business co-owners, building a team, dividing up the work, trading skills, taking on responsibility, and sharing leadership.

Finally, everyone involved with getting the plant going would agree that our general manager, Rick Durepo, was essential. Rick’s dedication to the project, his confidence in the team, his humility, and his good-natured style were catalytic. It’s important to acknowledge that the plant’s closure was due mainly to unforeseen market factors that overrode the efforts of this awesome team.

Scott Reed

Northampton