Tucsonans’ used cooking oil is about to get a second life as biodiesel with the opening of the region’s first large-scale biodiesel manufacturing and refining facility.

EDG Fuels, a division of Environmental Development Group, based in Silver City, N.M., is planning to open its facility next month at 8969 S. Eisenhower Road near Interstate 19 and Hughes Access Road.

A grand opening celebration is planned for 8:30 a.m. March 13.

The biodiesel facility will create about 19 jobs and within the first year, it will be fully automated and will be operating 24-hours, seven days a week.

EDG Fuels anticipates production to be about 3 million gallons of biodiesel the first year, with a potential of doubling to 6 million gallons per year.

EDG Fuels is collecting used cooking oil from Tucson-area restaurants through a program called Enjoy Dining Green. The company also is collecting used cooking oil from elsewhere in the country through contracts it has with chain restaurants.

The company then has contracts to sell the refined biodiesel to companies for their commercial fleet vehicles.

According to EDG Fuels, diesel vehicles don’t need any modifications to run on biodiesel, either alone or in combination with regular diesel.

Over the next five years, EDG Fuels is looking at the possibility of developing retail locations to go along with the refinery.

The Tucson refinery is Environmental Development Group’s first. The company also has a research and development office at 4551 S. Alvernon Way and offices in Irvine and Sacramento, Calif.