Kelly King on Building a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Pacific Biodiesel
This week, our ENV 490 Sustainability Innovation I class had the privilege of hosting Kelly King, Vice President of Pacific Biodiesel, who shared the incredible journey of her business.
Pacific Biodiesel operates a comprehensive circular economy model, using locally sourced used cooking oil and agricultural crops to produce biodiesel, which powers vehicles and machinery. The company also focuses on regenerative agriculture by rotating crops to maintain soil health, producing high-protein livestock feed, and developing culinary oils from the same crops. Their business model not only reduces waste but also promotes local agriculture and energy independence.
Here are a few highlights from Kelly's talk:
Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiesel Production: Kelly discussed how Pacific Biodiesel turns used cooking oil and crops like sunflowers into biodiesel. She shared the challenges and successes of creating a circular economy and emphasized the importance of regenerative agriculture.
Environmental Impact and Renewable Energy: Biodiesel’s non-toxic, biodegradable properties and its role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions were key topics. Kelly also compared the lifecycle impact of biodiesel versus electric vehicles.
Community and Economic Development: We learned about the company’s positive impact on local communities, from job creation to working with local farmers. Kelly also touched on the challenges of competing with larger corporations.
Education and Outreach: Kelly highlighted the company’s commitment to educating the community through tours, presentations, and internships, underscoring the role of collaboration in promoting sustainability.
Policy and Government Relations: She spoke about Pacific Biodiesel’s work with government entities, the importance of policy in advancing renewable energy, and the challenges of securing funding.
When asked what it takes to have an entrepreneurial spirit, Kelly’s advice was:
"Be personally invested and believe in what you're doing. Building relationships is key. You never know who might help you—sometimes it's just the person sitting next to you on a plane. Be open, reach out, and think about how you can work together." Kelly King
Mahalo Nui Loa to Kelly for generously sharing her time, expertise, and passion with our students!
