Category: Hi-Tech

Central CaliforniaHi-Tech
By Jennifer Hi-Tech • New Developments • Renewable Energy 0 Comments

Aemetis provide updates of RNG, cellulosic ethanol projects

By Erin Voegele | March 13, 2020
Aemestis Inc. released fourth quarter financial results on March 12, reporting increased revenues and progress with the development of its cellulosic ethanol and renewable natural gas (RNG) projects. During an earnings call, Eric McAfee, chairman and CEO of Aemetis, said the company has signed participation agreements with 17 dairies for its RNG project. The company has also built and tested two dairy lagoon digesters, and has designed and permitted a 4-mile pipeline that is now under construction to connect the dairy digesters to its corn ethanol plant in Keyes, California. The RNG project is currently expected to begin generating revenue for Aemetis during the second quarter of this year. According to McAfee, the company plans to complete construction of the next 15 digesters by the end of 2021.

McAfee also provided an update of the company’s proposed 12 MMgy cellulosic ethanol plant in Riverbank, California, that will employ LanzaTech gas microbe ethanol production technology. Last year, Aemetis signed three significant financings related to the Riverbank project, including a $5 million grant from the California Energy Commision, a $12.5 million tax waiver that offsets equity funding required for the project, and the signing of a $125 million United States Department of Agriculture conditional commitment letter for a 20-year debt financing under the 9003 biorefinery program, according to McAfee. Currently, he said the company is focused on completing engineering of the plant required for the negotiation of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. McAfee said financial closing to being construction of the Riverbank plant is dependent on completing the engineering and procurement work required for the signing of the construction contract. During the call, McAfee also described several upgrades that are being made to the company’s Keyes ethanol plant. One upgrade involves the development of a carbon dioxide liquification plant by Linde Gas adjacent to the Keyes plant. McAfee said construction on the CO2 capture equipment and piping for the Keyes plant was complete in January. Once the project becomes fully operational in the second quarter, the new liquification plant is expected to convert approximately 150,000 tons per year of CO2 produced by the Keyes plant into liquid CO2 for sale to local food processors, beverage producers and other industrial users.

The Keyes plant is also adding a Mitsubishi membrane dehydration system to the Keyes plant. That dehydration unit was delivered to the Keyes plant in late February, McAfee said, and is currently being installed. Aemetis is also working to add a solar microarray, high-efficiency heat exchanger, and mechanical vapor recompression system to the Keyes plant. Aemetis also operates a biodiesel plant in India. The company reported revenues of $52.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2019, up from $38.8 million for the same period of last year. Gross profit was $5.8 million, compared to a gross loss of $1.9 million. Operating profit was $1 million, compared to an operating loss of $6.7 million reported for the same period of 2018. Net loss attributable to Aemetis was $6.7 million, compared to a net loss of $11.4 million for the fourth quarter of the previous year. For the full year, revenues reached $202 million, up from $171.5 million in 2018. Gross profit was $12.7 million, up from $5.4 million. Operating loss for 2019 reached $4.9 million, compared to an operating loss of $10.9 million for 2018.

http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/16886/aemetis-provide-updates-of-rng-cellulosic-ethanol-projects

By Jennifer Hi-Tech • Workforce 0 Comments

Report: Improving rail service between Central Valley and Bay Area could create thousands of jobs

If a long-discussed plan to improve passenger rail service between the Central Valley and the Bay Area ever gets to the “shovel” stages, tens of thousands of new construction jobs would be created, according to a report made to the Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority Board.The so-called “Valley Link” project’s construction phase would create 22,000 jobs with worker income of $1.35 billion, says the analysis prepared by PGH Wong Engineering Inc. using a tool created by the American Public Transportation Association.

The analysis also predicts that:

• The construction phase would also generate $3.5 billion in local business sales;

• When operational, Valley Link would support 400 jobs per year with labor income of over $19 million per year,and,

• Valley Link would also generate $69 million in business sales annually.

Currently, the Central Valley is connected to Silicon Valley by the Altamont Commuter Express rail system between downtown Stockton and downtown San Jose. Although using modern diesel locomotives and passenger cars, the trains creak along over a right of way owned by Union Pacific and ordinally built in the 1800s. The passenger trains also must give way to slow-moving freight trains.“I am very pleased by the results of this analysis of the economic impact of Valley Link. This project will not only get our vital workforce to their jobs once complete but will also add 22,000 jobs to boost the economy during the construction phase,” says Alameda County Supervisor and Regional Rail Authority Chairman Scott Haggerty. Tracy City Council member and Regional Rail Authority vice chairman Veronica Vargas says the improved rail corridor would provide nearly 30,000 rides a day to commuters “eager to have relief from congestion on the I580. And, in a time of economic stress with the COVID-19 pandemic, Valley Link can provide a significant job stimulus in the region.”The first phase of the proposed Valley Link rail service would cover 42 miles connecting the existing Dublin/Pleasanton BART station to the proposed ACE North Lathrop station. A second phase would extend service from the North Lathrop station to the ACE and Amtrak Stockton station. Trains would be scheduled to allow for convenient transfers to BART. The first ValleyLink trains could be placed in service as early as 2027.

https://files.constantcontact.com/2cb20f61601/d2a6152c-42c4-4dda-8914-0401770c2048.pdf

By Jennifer Back Office • Economy • Hi-Tech • Workforce 0 Comments

BITWISE CEO SEEKS TO HIRE 100-PLUS FOR DATA ENTRY

The CEO of Bitwise is putting out a call to hire more than 100 temporary data entry contractors who will work from home. Irma L. Olguin Jr. said in a Facebook post Friday afternoon that the workers would support efforts of Bitwise Industries, its web development arm Shift3 Technologies and mobile restaurant ordering app Ordrslip in “building things to help feed the elderly, save restaurants from going out of business and to help folks who’ve lost jobs regain employment.” The temporary (“could be days or weeks”) positions would be 40 hours a week and pay $15 per hour. Employment would be on a contract basis. Applicants must have their own computer, reliable Internet access and be able to type at reasonable speed, Olguin said.

https://thebusinessjournal.com/virus-diaries-bitwise-ceo-seeks-to-hire-100-plus-for-data-entry/#:~:text=The%20CEO%20of%20Bitwise%20is,who%20will%20work%20from%20home.&text=Employment%20would%20be%20on%20a%20contract%20basis.

By Jennifer Economy • Energy • Hi-Tech 0 Comments

SELF-DRIVING BUS BEING BUILT PARTLY IN PORTERVILLE

https://thebusinessjournal.com/self-driving-bus-to-be-built-partly-in-porterville/?utm_source=Daily+Update&utm_campaign=e04ebdf3e8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_02_10_35&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fb834d017b-e04ebdf3e8-78934409&mc_cid=e04ebdf3e8&mc_eid=a126ded657

By Jennifer Economy • Hi-Tech 0 Comments

Next-generation wireless revolution takes root in Bakersfield

The next revolution in mobile technology has arrived in Bakersfield — but it’s probably not time to celebrate just yet. Earlier this month, AT&T announced its local launch of the highly anticipated wireless coverage known as 5G, joining T-Mobile, which introduced a similar service in early December. (Sprint and Verizon have not yet made the service available in Bakersfield.) The launches mean people with the right kind of cellphone and the right mobile service plan should be able to receive data faster — perhaps 20 percent faster than they did under the previous best technology, known as 4G LTE.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/next-generation-wireless-revolution-takes-root-in-bakersfield/article_3d29a218-4f94-11ea-8a80-3f7e8c126b72.html

By Jennifer Commercial • Economy • Food Processing • Hi-Tech • Manufacturing • Tourism 0 Comments

A Brave New World: Latest in agriculture at Expo in Tulare

Traditionally the Farmer’s Almanac predicts rainy weather during early to middle February said Lt. Boatman from the Tulare Police Department, who was helping on the first day of the 2020 World Ag Expo on Tuesday, at the International Agri-Center in Tulare. But it was a clear, bright, and beautifully sunny day, and at least 30,000 people or more were expected to attend the show. And over the three days, Tuesday, today and Thursday, Feb. 13, there could be anywhere from 90,000 to more than  100,000 people attending from all over the world. When the gates opened and hundreds of people were lined up to enter, at about 9:30 the Star Spangled Banner was sung, and people respectfully sang with their hands over their hearts.

https://www.recorderonline.com/news/a-brave-new-world-latest-in-agriculture-at-expo/article_4c7de574-4dc0-11ea-b9ba-a3d1742c88a5.html

By Jennifer Economy • Hi-Tech • New Developments 0 Comments

NEW DEVELOPMENT COMING TO CLOVIS PARCEL

A long-vacant parcel of land in Clovis will be getting several new leases on life over the next three years, with construction officially under way on a pair of buildings. The land — stretching 2.3 acres on the corner of Herndon and Peach avenues in Clovis — was purchased in parcels by Marihart Properties between 2017 and 2019. According to John, James and Falina Marihart, the family business started construction on phase one in November, which they expect to complete in the summer. Once completed, 4,000 square feet of the 10,000-square-foot building will house the new headquarters for PC Solutions. PC Solutions was founded by John D. Marihart.

https://thebusinessjournal.com/new-development-coming-to-clovis-parcel/?utm_source=Daily+Update&utm_campaign=b3e3ea97e6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_02_05_08_40&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fb834d017b-b3e3ea97e6-78934409&mc_cid=b3e3ea97e6&mc_eid=a126ded657

By Jennifer Hi-Tech • New Developments 0 Comments

New construction plan in Clovis to help businesses rise

Construction workers are taking advantage of the good weather to hammer out a 10,000 square foot office building. A portion of the space will be the new home of PC Solutions, a networking and data security business. “PC Solutions started out of my brother’s garage 15 years ago with one employee and just fixing computers straightaway to customers, and we’ve actually grown to 13 employees now,” says Managing Partner James Marihart. The business is looking to expand even more once they move into their new home at Peach at Herndon.