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Heartwell Renewables provides update
Our friends at Heartwell Renewables continue to make progress on their renewable diesel plant east of Hastings. Here's a project update:
"If you have road tripped through Nebraska recently, you might have stopped at one of Love's eight travel stops in the state to fuel up, use the restroom and grab some snacks.
Well, that iconic highway hospitality Love's has been known for since 1964 is now fully part of the Hastings community. Effective July 31, 2025, family-owned and operated Love's assumed 100% ownership of the Heartwell Renewables project and creation of the new state-of-the-art renewable diesel refinery just east of Hastings.
This reflects Love's commitment to new and innovative ways to better serve customers while investing in renewable fuel offerings to provide customers with access to sustainable fueling alternatives. Locally, the project means job creation, capital investment and taxable value for Hastings. Love's plans to create nearly 70 full-time positions for plant operation with competitive wages and comprehensive benefits and the company is committed to leveraging local talent while also attracting high-impact professionals from outside the region to strengthen the team. Team members are expected to reside in Hastings and surrounding areas to ensure seamless 24/7, year-round operations.
Groundbreaking occurred in November 2022, and operations are expected to start in the second half of 2026. When the plant opens, it is expected to initially produce 80 million gallons of renewable diesel annually. Cargill remains part of the project as a provider of feedstock in the form of tallow, a rendered animal fat co-product following protein processing. In addition to tallow, this is a multi-feedstock facility utilizing waste fats and oils, cover crops and vegetable oils."
Published Date: 10/30/2025