Biodiesel Industries Selected for Proposed Grant by the California Energy Commission

SANTA BARBARA and SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Biodiesel Industries announced today the company's selection by the California Energy Commission for a project grant to support the state's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. This Biofuel Production Plants grant provides funding and financial assistance for the development of new, California-based biofuel production plants and enhances the operation of existing plants to increase statewide biofuel production and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Funding of proposed awards is contingent upon the approval of these projects at a publicly noticed business meeting at the Energy Commission in Sacramento, Calif.

Biodiesel Industries' "ARIES© Bioenergy Project" was ranked in the top three among the 44 projects competing for grant funding, resulting in the company's selection as a proposed grant recipient in the amount of $886,815.  This multi-year project will demonstrate the use of advanced biodiesel production techniques utilizing algae in an integrated energy system monitored by the ARIES© platform. ARIES© (Automated Real-time, Remote, Integrated Energy System) has been jointly developed with Aerojet to incorporate advanced automation control capabilities based upon their decades of experience in aerospace control systems and advanced propulsion.  

ARIES© is a highly automated, transportable biodiesel production unit with the capability to be controlled from a remote location. These features ensure reliable process control and optimal production yields in a sustainable system that can be readily and widely deployed.  Under this grant, the system will be adapted to fully integrate algaculture, anaerobic digestion of waste products and self-generated combined heat and power. This unique approach will enable the production of biodiesel to be self-sustainable, produce excess renewable energy and substantially reduce greenhouse gases.

Project work will be conducted at Naval Base Ventura County at Port Hueneme, Calif. in conjunction with the ARIES© Biodiesel Production demonstration and validation program under an ongoing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center.

A key issue with biofuel production is access to inexpensive feedstocks that do not compete with agricultural land use or food production.  The ability to use locally produced non-food feedstocks, such as algae, for biodiesel requires a flexible production process, technical expertise and control not typically available with small-scale facilities. With ARIES©, one data and process control center has the potential to remotely operate many scalable facilities integrated with next-generation feedstock cultivation, producing billions of gallons of biodiesel per year.

Russell Teall, president and founder of Biodiesel Industries explained, "Creating truly sustainable systems requires a thorough understanding of every aspect of biodiesel production, from feedstocks to finished products. The Integrated Energy System incorporated into ARIES© will eventually allow us to generate our own heat and power, and to feed the surplus into a local micro-grid. These Energy Islands will support the local community with renewable and sustainable fuel, electricity and heat.  We are grateful for the support from the California Energy Commission and look forward to working with them on this project."

"We are pleased to support Biodiesel Industries in furthering ARIES©' capabilities under this grant opportunity," added Kathy Robinson, biofuels director for Aerojet. "Reliable and automated management of feedstock processing, as well as value-added co-products such as heat and power, are key for a truly sustainable biofuels industry."  

About Biodiesel Industries, Inc.: Biodiesel Industries is a privately held company which builds, owns and operates biodiesel production facilities, conducts research and feasibility studies, and collaborates with strategic partners to implement new initiatives.  The company and its management have been pioneers in the industry for the past 16 years, with an emphasis on using advanced technologies for the multi-feedstock modular production of next generation biofuels.  Additional information about Biodiesel Industries can be found on the company's website at http://www.biodieselindustries.com.

About Aerojet: Aerojet, a GenCorp Company (NYSE: GY), is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader principally serving the missile and space propulsion markets. GenCorp is a leading technology-based manufacturer of aerospace products and systems with a real estate segment that includes activities related to the entitlement, sale, and leasing of the company's extensive real estate assets. Additional information about Aerojet and GenCorp can be obtained by visiting the companies' Web sites at http://www.Aerojet.com and http://www.GenCorp.com.

SOURCE Aerojet