BAKERSFIELD, CA – Crimson Renewable Energy (Crimson), of Denver, Colo., has broken ground and commenced construction of a biodiesel production plant at a Crimson-owned facility in Bakersfield. The plant is designed to produce 30 million gallons of biofuel per year, which would make it the largest biodiesel production facility in California upon completion in spring, 2008.

The Crimson biodiesel production plant is a modular system designed and developed by Crimson’s in-house engineering team. The system features a closed loop, continuous production process that minimizes emissions and waste products. Crimson’s five-acre plant also applies new technologies and systems for transesterification (the chemical process for making biodiesel), glycerin processing, and methanol recovery.

“Our Bakersfield biodiesel facility is strategically located to meet the needs of diesel fuel consumers in California’s Central Valley, Central Coast and Los Angeles Basin, and to utilize feedstocks that may be grown within central California such as canola, safflower, or mustard seed,“ said Harry Simpson, President of Crimson. “We look forward to completing this facility and developing additional biofuels production plants in California and possibly other parts of North America.”

The Crimson biodiesel plant will utilize a wide variety of feed-stocks and includes an additional production unit for making USP-grade refined glycerin, a byproduct of biodiesel production and an important ingredient in personal care, pharmaceutical, and food products.

Crimson’s Bakersfield plant is expected to begin production in spring of 2008 and will operate as a seven-day-a-week, 24-hour facility employing approximately 22 people. During the construction phase, the Crimson plant will provide employment for approximately 75 people.