Aemetis “Carbon Zero” Plants Designed to Produce Renewable Jet Fuel Utilizing Renewable Hydrogen and Non-Edible Vegetable Oils

25 Million Gallon Per Year Capacity Plants Designed to Produce Jet Fuel and Renewable Diesel for Aviation and Truck Markets

CUPERTINO, CA, Jan. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced that its “Carbon Zero” biofuels production plants are designed to produce biofuels, including renewable jet fuel utilizing renewable hydrogen and non-edible vegetable oils sourced from existing Aemetis biofuels plants and other sources. 

The Aemetis “Carbon Zero 1” plant in Riverbank, California is expected to utilize hydroelectric and other renewable power available onsite to produce 25 million gallons per year of jet fuel, renewable diesel, and other byproducts.  The plant is expected to supply the aviation and truck markets with ultra-low carbon renewable fuels to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other pollutants associated with conventional petroleum-based fuels.

Aemetis Carbon Zero production plants commercialize patented technology exclusive to Aemetis utilizing agricultural and forest waste wood feedstocks.  Carbon Zero plants are integrated with existing Aemetis production facilities to produce energy dense renewable fuels using renewable energy and below zero carbon intensity waste feedstocks.  

“The production of jet fuel and renewable diesel for the aviation and truck markets reflects our mission to reduce greenhouse gases across transportation sectors,” stated Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis.  “We designed the plant to use renewable hydrogen from agricultural waste wood to add energy to non-edible renewable oil feedstocks that are produced in volume by biofuels plants, including the Aemetis Keyes 65 million gallon per year plant, and powered by electricity from hydroelectric and other renewable sources to produce our ultra-low carbon fuel.”

“The plant design combines below-zero-carbon waste wood with low-carbon waste oil feedstock and zero-carbon renewable energy obtained from solar, hydroelectric and biogas sources. Aemetis is transforming these sources of renewable energy into zero carbon and low carbon renewable fuels to power existing engines and range extender generators used in electric cars and trucks,” McAfee noted.

Carbon Zero production plants are designed to convert below zero carbon feedstocks (waste wood and ag wastes) and renewable energy (solar, renewable natural gas, biogas) into energy dense liquid renewable fuels.  Aemetis expects that such renewable fuels, when used in jet engines and truck engines, will have a “below zero carbon” or “ultra-low carbon” greenhouse gas footprint across the entire lifecycle of the fuel, based on the Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET model, the pre-eminent science-based lifecycle analysis measurement tool.

The Aemetis “Carbon Zero 1” plant and Keyes biorefinery renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades include funding and other support from the California Energy Commission, the USDA, the US Forest Service, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the PG&E Energy Efficiency Program.

About Aemetis

Aemetis has a mission to transform renewable energy into below zero carbon transportation fuels. The next generation of renewable fuels can achieve below zero carbon emissions by addressing the market need of reducing greenhouse gas emissions with sustainable alternatives. Aemetis uses low-carbon renewable resource-based carbohydrates as raw materials and is developing renewable electricity and renewable natural gas for use in transportation and production processes.  Aemetis low-carbon fuels have substantially reduced carbon intensity (the level of greenhouse gas emissions compared to standard petroleum fossil-based fuels across their lifecycle).

Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Aemetis is a renewable natural gas, renewable fuel and biochemicals company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of innovative technologies that replace traditional petroleum-based products.  Founded in 2006, Aemetis has completed Phase 1 and is expanding a California biogas digester network and pipeline system to convert dairy waste gas into Renewable Natural Gas (RNG).  Aemetis owns and operates a 65 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in California’s Central Valley near Modesto that supplies about 80 dairies with animal feed.  Aemetis also owns and operates a 50 million gallon per year production facility on the East Coast of India producing high quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin for customers in India and Europe.  Aemetis is developing the Carbon Zero 1 plant in California to convert waste orchard wood into sugars that will be processed into biofuels at the Keyes plant, as well as cellulosic ethanol and renewable hydrogen in expansion phases.  Aemetis holds a portfolio of patents and related technology licenses for the production of renewable fuels and biochemicals.  For additional information about Aemetis, please visit www.aemetis.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events or other statements that are not historical facts.  Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements relating to our ability to commercialize and scale the licensed patented technology, the ability to obtain sufficiently low Carbon Intensity score to achieve below zero transportation fuel, the development of the Aemetis Biogas Central California Dairy Project, and the ability to access the funding required to execute on the plant construction and operations.  Words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “showing signs,” “targets,” “will likely result,” “will continue,” “enable” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions and predictions and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties.  Actual results or events could differ materially from those set forth or implied by such forward-looking statements and related assumptions due to certain factors, including, without limitation, competition in the ethanol, biodiesel and other industries in which we operate, commodity market risks including those that may result from current weather conditions, financial market risks, customer adoption, counter-party risks, risks associated with changes to federal policy or regulation, and other risks detailed in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the Aemetis Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and in our subsequent filings with the SEC.  We are not obligated, and do not intend, to update any of these forward-looking statements at any time unless an update is required by applicable securities laws.

External Investor Relations
Contact:
Kirin Smith
PCG Advisory Group
(646) 863-6519
ksmith@pcgadvisory.com

Company Investor Relations/
Media Contact:
Todd Waltz
 (408) 213-0940
investors@aemetis.com