Aemetis ‘Carbon Zero’ plants to produce SAF using renewable hydrogen, waste materials

Aemetis Inc. announced that its “Carbon Zero” biofuels production plants are designed to produce biofuels, including renewable jet fuel utilizing renewable hydrogen and nonedible vegetable oils sourced from existing Aemetis biofuels plants and other sources.

The Aemetis “Carbon Zero 1” plant in Riverbank, California, is expected to utilize hydroelectric and other renewable power available onsite to produce 25 MMgy of jet fuel, renewable diesel, and other byproducts. The plant is expected to supply the aviation and truck markets with ultra-low carbon renewable fuels to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other pollutants associated with conventional petroleum-based fuels.

Aemetis Carbon Zero production plants commercialize patented technology exclusive to Aemetis utilizing agricultural and forest waste wood feedstocks. Carbon Zero plants are integrated with existing Aemetis production facilities to produce energy-dense renewable fuels using renewable energy and below zero carbon intensity waste feedstocks.

“The production of jet fuel and renewable diesel for the aviation and truck markets reflects our mission to reduce greenhouse gases across transportation sectors,” said Eric McAfee, chairman and CEO of Aemetis. “We designed the plant to use renewable hydrogen from agricultural waste wood to add energy to nonedible renewable oil feedstocks that are produced in volume by biofuels plants, including the Aemetis Keyes 65 MMgy plant, and powered by electricity from hydroelectric and other renewable sources to produce our ultra-low carbon fuel. The plant design combines below-zero-carbon waste wood with low-carbon waste oil feedstock and zero-carbon renewable energy obtained from solar, hydroelectric and biogas sources. Aemetis is transforming these sources of renewable energy into zero-carbon and low-carbon renewable fuels to power existing engines and range extender generators used in electric cars and trucks.”

Aemetis expects that such renewable fuels, when used in jet engines and truck engines, will have a “below-zero carbon” or “ultra-low carbon” GHG footprint across the entire lifecycle of the fuel, based on the Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET model, the preeminent science-based lifecycle analysis measurement tool.

The Aemetis “Carbon Zero 1” plant and Keyes biorefinery renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades include funding and other support from the California Energy Commission, the USDA, the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the PG&E Energy Efficiency Program.