Rational Energies to hire 21

BRADENTON — Rational Energies MC Inc., a Minnesota-based energy technology firm, will build a new manufacturing facility in Manatee County, according to the Manatee Economic Development Council. The new facility will require 21 new employees from the Manatee area by next spring.

Rational Energies converts agricultural and municipal waste products into synthetic crude oil. Founded in 2007, the company currently owns 40 patents.

Rational Energies will receive more than $84,000 in combined incentive grants from Manatee County and Florida's Qualified Tax Incentive program, provided the 21 jobs it creates pay a wage of $38,465, or15% higher than the county's current average,

To create its manufacturing facility, Rational Energies will renovate an existing 36,000-square-foot space in south Manatee County.

“We considered other locations in Florida, as well as Georgia and Tennessee, for our first production facility,” says Ed Driscoll, CEO at Rational Energies, in a statement. “Manatee County was the most desirable because it provided good access to waste materials we use in production, attractive lease rates, and a cooperative and proactive county staff.”

Driscoll estimates the new facility will be able to convert 15,000 tons of waste plastics into 3 million gallons of synthetic crude oil per year.