Springboard Biodiesel announced that it will officially enter a new phase of biodiesel production with the grand opening of its model processing facility in Chico, California on May 1.
Until now, the Company has focused exclusively on manufacturing small-scale, standalone biodiesel production systems. With equipment currently operating in 21 countries and all 50 states, this facet of the business continues strong, but with the new production facility Springboard is poised to produce and sell 1,000 gallons per day of ASTM-D6751 grade biodiesel.
Working in concert with the company’s used cooking oil (UCO) collection partner, Smart Alternative Fuels, based in Redding, CA., Springboard will be processing locally collected UCO into ASTM-grade biodiesel and thereby providing organizations in Butte County and its environs access to cleaner-burning, locally produced biodiesel.
Biodiesel is a global commodity that is increasingly used in fleets around the country, as fleet managers try to better manage their carbon emissions without expensive equipment changes. Springboard CEO, Mark Roberts, notes, “Using biodiesel made from UCO will reduce the driver’s CO2 emissions by as much as 90 percent, while simultaneously reducing particulate matter by 50 percent, and because we are able to price our biodiesel to compete with diesel, these are ‘free’ benefits of incorporating biodiesel into your fleet management logistics.”
With biodiesel, no engine conversion is necessary for diesel vehicles to use the fuel. “You just pump and go,” says Roberts. He adds, “An additional benefit, is the superior lubricity present in biodiesel. It burns with less wear than other fuels and can actually smooth out louder engines.”
The California Energy Commission (CEC) played a significant role in the development of this "first in the state" small-scale biodiesel production facility. The CEC awarded a grant through its Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology program to assist in the development with the intention that this facility will serve as a model to be replicated in other communities.
The CEC program goal is to reduce transportation greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). This model not only reduces GHG through the use of biodiesel vs. diesel, but the concept of small-scale production plants throughout the state, versus large refineries, reduces the carbon intensity by using local by-product feedstock and local distribution.
Springboard’s proprietary system is able to process multiple types of feedstock in an automated environment that assures repeatable, high-quality fuel production at competitive prices. Roberts concluded, “A lot of work has gone into assuring that our CLL system is as safe and reliable as any out there, and we believe that this coupled with our small-scale by design approach will allow us to more effectively proliferate access to affordable biodiesel throughout California.”
Guided tours will be available at the grand opening on Thursday, May 1, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Chico facility.
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