Two large tanks measuring 12 feet tall, nine feet wide and 136 feet long are being constructed at the Aemetis Bio Fuel Facility in Keyes.

The tanks are designed to capture CO2 gas generated during the ethanol fermentation process. Currently, the gas is vented into the air after the regenerative Thermal Oxidizer process is introduced.

The project is costing $35 million.

The Linde Group is starting with two giant tanks and later expanding to five. 

“This is a great ancillary business to the ethanol production facility that will bring jobs and benefit the community,” said Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa.

He said most will be used to flash-freeze food products.

CO2 is not flammable and cannot be ignited – in fact CO2 is very commonly used in fire extinguishers to put out electrical fires. Depending on the rate of pressure in the pipeline, CO2 would rapidly release but as a non-flammable gas it would not ignite.

Earlier this year the Linde Group won approval to rezone 5.2 acres if a 28-acre parcel to Planned Development to allow for the development of a liquid cardon dioxide (CO2) purification and liquefaction plant.

Founded in 2006, Aemetis owns and operates the Keyes plant, which has a capacity of producing 60 million gallon per year of ethanol and animal feed production facility. The Keyes plant is using corn as the principal feedstock, with grain sorghum or a feedstock blend used to maximize operating income.  As a byproduct of ethanol production, more than 400,000 tons per year of wet distillers grains are produced and shipped throughout the Valley as animal feed for dairies and feedlots.

Aemetis also owns and operates a 50 million gallon per year capacity renewable chemical and advanced fuel production facility in India producing quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin for customers in Europe and Asia.