California Energy Commission Awards Biodico $1.2 Million Grant for ‘Zero Net Energy Farms’ Project
-- Biodico to Utilize Proprietary Technology to Create
Economically Viable Energy Efficient Farm of the Future --
-- Technologies to Stimulate Local Economy in Disadvantaged
Regions --
Biodico, Inc. today announced the California Energy Commission (CEC)
awarded the sustainable biofuel and bioenergy company a $1.2 million
grant for its “Zero Net Energy Farms” project, which would enable farms
to generate all electrical and heating power needs from on-site
renewable resources, while reducing greenhouse gas footprints.
The award was granted under the CEC’s Electric Program Investment Charge
(EPIC) Challenge to develop innovative and replicable approaches for
accelerating the deployment of Advanced Energy Communities (AEC) located
in economically disadvantaged areas.
Biodico is matching the CEC funds to develop a real world conceptual
design that combines solar cogeneration, wind turbines, anaerobic
digestion and gasification at Red Rock Ranch in Five Points, Fresno
County, Calif.
“The Zero Net Energy Farms project leverages Biodico’s proprietary
technology to create an energy efficient farm by utilizing economically
viable solutions,” said Biodico President and Founder, Russ Teall. “Our
goal is to establish a template for ranches, farms and other
agricultural interests throughout California’s Central Valley and beyond.
“This project comes at a particularly important time as California’s
agricultural community searches for more efficient ways to produce,
process and store more than 400 food, fiber, flora and fuel crops, not
to mention convert biomass into electricity, as biomass power plants
continue to close,” Teall added. “Equally important is the water/energy
nexus: The production of on-site renewable energy reduces the
consumption of water used to produce grid-based utility energy. As
California agriculture continues to suffer the impact of water
constraints, this has become extremely important.”
Additional benefits of the project include increasing the security,
reliability and efficiency of the electrical grid, as well as reducing
the cost of expanding capacity to meet California’s swelling population
growth.
“There is a great need today for establishing a rational business case
for tomorrow’s energy efficient farm,” said JJ Rothgery, Chairman of the
Board at Biodico. “A Zero Net Energy Farm will help diversify power
production and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and water to generate
electricity.
“The incorporation of these technologies will also enhance local
economic development by providing jobs and an increased tax base,”
Rothgery noted.
The project is slated to commence in June 2016. For a video overview of
Biodico, please visit http://bit.ly/biodico.
About Biodico: Biodico is a privately held company headquartered
in Ventura, Calif. that (1) builds, owns and operates sustainable
biofuel and bioenergy facilities, (2) conducts research and development
with the U.S. Navy, and (3) collaborates with strategic joint venture
partners to commercialize new technology and initiatives. The company
and its management have been pioneers in the industry for the past 23
years, with an emphasis on using advanced, patented and proprietary
technologies for the sustainable multi-feedstock modular production of
next generation biofuels and bioenergy. Additional information about
Biodico can be found on the company’s website at http://www.biodico.com.
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