Biodico opens 20Mgy biodiesel plant in California

Biodico Westside, a California-based biorefinery producer, has opened its 20 million gpy biodiesel production facility in Five Points, California.

The facility is designed to be able to produce fuel from all fats and oils available and will specialise in producing low carbon intensity fuels under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

Biodico provides heat and power for the operation through the renewable processing of production by-products.

Crude glycerin is reformed into GBX, a proprietary formulation that is anaerobically digested, while solid biomass by-products from feedstocks and from surrounding agriculture are gasified.

A 20kW solar cogeneration array adds additional heat and power to the project.

In addition to a state-of-the-art laboratory for biodiesel quality control under existing ASTM standards, the project is equipped to be able to test the biodiesel production in real time by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and liquid phase impedance EMF feedback.

Biodico’s Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the US Navy, R&D support from the California Energy Commission, and joint projects with academia (West Hills College, Cal Poly, UC Davis, etc.) have all provided technologies and resources that are incorporated into the project.

Biodico Westside is a partnership between Biodico and Red Rock Ranch.