Biodiesel maker Biodico will hold an official ribbon cutting ceremony today at 11:30 a.m. PST for its 20 million gallon per year biodiesel production facility in Five Points, California. The company says the refinery will produce the green fuel from all fats and oils available and will specialize 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 byproducts. Crude glycerin is reformed into GBX, a proprietary formulation that is anaerobically digested. Solid biomass byproducts from feedstocks and from surrounding agriculture are gasified. A 20 kW 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.

The ribbon cutting is a celebration not just for Biodico Westside, but for the many project partners who have helped to make the project possible. Biodico’s long standing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the 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 valuable technologies and resources that are incorporated into the project. Biodico Westside is a partnership between Biodico and Red Rock Ranch. Red Rock Ranch is a multi-generational farming operation covering thousands of acres and growing over 40 crops that has had a strong commitment to R&D over many decades.