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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (10258)	4/13/2010 11:05:41 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24226

US Navy base receives automated biodiesel plant Monday April 12, 2010 By James Cartledge The Naval Base Ventura County is working to improve its energy security by producing its own renewable fuels A new biodiesel production system has been delivered to a US Navy base in Southern California, so it can produce its own renewable fuel. Locally-based Biodiesel Industries, Inc., has been working with the Navy and aerospace technology firm Aerojet to set up a highly-automated production facility at the Naval Base Ventura County. The project at the base located north-west of Los Angeles centers around an ARIES biodiesel plant – an Automated Real-time, Remote, Integrated Energy System. The system can produce around 3-10 million gallons of biofuels per year to act as a replacement for the Naval Base’s petroleum-sourced diesel fuel. It could also produce heat for use on the base. Russell Teall, President and Founder of Biodiesel Industries said: “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.” It can be operated remotely, while its automated technology can control key chemistry and processing parameters to ensure optimized production capacity, according to Biodiesel Industries. The company hopes the Naval project could act as a springboard to spread the use of the ARIES automated biodiesel system around the world. Michael Cassady, Biodiesel Industries’ Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer said: “ARIES is ready now to be deployed on a global basis. The ARIES platform fundamentally transforms biodiesel production and makes this possible.” Process control The ARIES system uses control systems developed by Sacramento-based Aerojet, to provide real-time sensing and management of the biodiesel production process. Coupled with Biodiesel Industries’ production database, these systems allow for an automated process that allows for increased yields, better quality control and improved safety for staff, according to the company. The company has also developed a smaller, Mini-Modular Production Unit for military use. Scott Seymour, president of Aeroject, said: “The delivery of this first biodiesel production unit to the US Navy heralds the first in what we hope are a series of successful demonstrations of our ability to deliver efficient and sustainable energy production for military and civilian use.” The US Navy is currently working to cut petroleum use in its non-tactical vehicle fleet in half by 2015 while also developing biofuels for use in its ships (see this BrighterEnergy.org story). Our methods of feedstock development make ARIES an ideal solution for a globally distributed network of biodiesel production facilities” - JJ Rothgery, Biodiesel Industries The move is being taken to improve its energy security, reducing its reliance on foreign oil, as well as environmental and economic considerations. Global network One of the major benefits of the ARIES production system is that it would be possible to use a variety of different feedstocks – whatever is available locally to the system. This would mean flexibility for military or civilian operations, and for the small mobile plants, while a global network could be operated from a central process control center. “Our proprietary methods of feedstock development make ARIES an ideal solution for creating a globally distributed network of biodiesel production facilities,” said JJ Rothgery, Chairman of the Board of Biodiesel Industries. Biodiesel Industries, which has been working with a range of feedstocks including Jatropha and algae during its 16-year history, said the system could also help to produce biofuels without using food crops or competing for agricultural land. brighterenergy.org