"Our biggest problem is that we are too good to be true," said John Rivera, chairman of Sustainable Power Corporation.

"We can literally replace every gallon of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel in the United States using just 12 per cent of the waste by-products in the country."

Rivera has spent 21 years and US$31 million (£15.6 million) developing the secret process.

A reactor is filled with farm waste such as hulls and cracked soy beans -- what results is a biogenic crude oil dubbed Vertroleum that Rivera claims is superior to crude from fossil sources.

Rivera contends that products made from Vertroleum burn at near 100 per cent efficiency -- minimising pollution and waste heat.

"Anyone you tell about this will call you a liar," said Rivera.

What is even more unbelievable is that the sole by-product from the process is an organic fertiliser.

"The fertiliser is worth about 15 cents (8p) per pound, but the fuel by-product is worth much more," said Gerald Brent, general manager of Sustainable Power Corporation.

Sustainable Power Corporation are now developing a new facility that will boast 400 reactors -– each producing 6,000 gallons of crude daily -– and a Vetroleum-powered 500 megawatt energy plant, capable of supplying 400,000 homes with power.

Brent hopes that the facility will be ready within the next 12 to 18 months.

"We have to build this from the ground up," he said.

"This is just our proof-of-concept."