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Animal Fat to Biofuel Start-Up Produces 3K Gallons of Biodiesel Daily

North Star Biofuels is using a special process to produce their fuel, which is 100 times faster than those of their competitors.

Since July 2011, a renewable energy company has been churning out 3,000 gallons of biodiesel at a test facility in Redwood City. North Star Biofuels hopes to become the leader in biodiesel production, said CEO Jim Levine.

North Star Biofuels and other renewable energy start-ups are seizing the opportunity to help the state lead the nation in reduced greenhouse gas emissions. California’s strict environmental law, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, requires the state to bring its greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels by the year 2020, or a 25 percent reduction.

“About 4 billion gallons of diesel are used in California every year,” Levine said. “Biodiesel could satisfy all the requirements in [AB32] California's greenhouse gas law.”

Additionally, North Star Biofuels is in a position to lead the biodiesel industry with their much more efficient process.

The fuel North Star Biofuels produce—called “b-100”—is made more than 100 times faster than the processes used by their competitors. They will use a sealed system that will collect all waste products internally, and uses no water so they will be no runoff.

This also means no noise, air or water pollution for neighbors.

Ninety-two percent of the animal fat they produce becomes bio-diesel. The rest comes out as glycerin which is sold to be make into soap and other products.

Agri Beef Co. in Idaho will provide the fat used for the bio-diesel. Rick Stott of Agri-Beef In the past the animal fats are sent to Mexico to make soap, and other products.

“[This allows us] to produce something with these products that are environmentally proactive," Stott said. "And it will be processed here in the U.S. It's a win-win all around.”

The company plans to expand with a 19,000-square foot facility in Watsonville, about 65 miles south of Redwood City. This plant will produce about 65,000 gallons a day and put “the city on the map as far as renewable fuels," Levine said.

 

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Jim Corcoran May 2, 2012 at 02:33 pm
"As environmental science has advanced, it has become apparent that the human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future: deforestation, erosion, fresh water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice, the destabilization of communities, and the spread of disease." Worldwatch Institute, "Is Meat Sustainable?"
"The livestock sector emerges as one of the top contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. The findings of this report suggest that it should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. Livestock’s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale and its potential contribution to their solution is equally large. The impact is so significant that it needs to be addressed with urgency." UN Food and Agricultural Organization's report "Livestock's Long Shadow" “If every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetables and grains... the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads.” Environmental Defense Fund Why would someone choose to be vegan? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKr4HZ7ukSE and http://www.veganvideo.org
Bill May 2, 2012 at 05:08 pm
also, keep in mind all the GMO feed to fatten up those juicy steaks!!!

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Vanessa Castañeda (Editor) June 14, 2013 at 01:28 pm
Good question, cipiazza. This is probably related to a sewage pipeline replacement project takingRead More place nearby.
Alison Madden June 16, 2013 at 07:33 pm
Vanessa and ctpiazza, Buckley Stone at Pete's Harbor says it is because some time ago the CityRead More dredged near muni and ran a pipe under to spill it out at Bair Island, so it is actually the remains of rotting sea life. He knows so much about this area having been at Pete's for 20 years and knowing so much about the area the tides and the nature and land around here.