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BioConverter

By mhodges
  • Prototype Bioconverter Startup

    Prototype High-solids Anaerobic Digester operation in Tacoma ,WA, Biofilm addition accelerates digestion by 50%.
  • $8 MM raised for First Generation Biorefinery

    Financing of first round of $8 MM with Washington Energy Company (WECO) as equity and Rainer Bank financing as debt provider.
  • Bioconverter Biorefinery Test Facility

    Bioconverter Prototype Test Facility erected in advance of permits/construction beginning in Hawaii.
  • Bioconverter Digestion efficiency accelerated 100%

  • First Biorefinery Construction Underway

    22 acre site with 2000 head of Dairy cattle near University of Hawaii College of Agricultural Experimental Farm in Waimanalo, HI, within Honolulu City and County.
  • Geenhouse Operations underway

    100,000 pounds of tomatoes produced per month for Honolulu resort hotels and restaurants from 3.5 acres of hydroponics greenhouses.
  • Biorefinery Construction Completed

    1 million gallon BioConverter System
    2.5 acre Spirulina algae culture system
    3.5 acre Hydroponics Greenhouses
    10,000 sq ft Processing Building/Offices
    Analytical /Systems Monitoring Laboratory
  • First Generation Biorefinery Operational

    1 Million Gallon System capable of processing 400 wet tons per day of Dairy, Poultry and USDA Ag Facility residues into 210 MM btus methane-rich biogas per day producing 500 KW electricity.
  • Single Cell Protein

    Feed trial Chinese Catfish, 10% protein additive to Purina Trout Chow results: 40% weight gain over control.
  • Spirulina Algae Sales in Progress

    24,000 sq ft Spirulina Culture System producing 2000 wet pounds per day harvested and freeze-dried, 200 pounds per day of 65% pure protein crystals, 20% phycocyanin.
  • Single Cell Protein certified for sale

    Approved by Hawaii State Department of Agriculture
    Commodities Division, produced under AAFCO guidelines.
  • Hawaii State Organic Waste Inventory -BioConverter Feasibility

    Contract with Hawaii State Department of Economic Development and Tourism to complete statewide inventory of organic waste (food waste, fish wastes fat oils and grease, yard waste, dairy, beef, swine and poultry manure, coffee, papaya, pineapple, waste plantation waste, sugar cane bagasse, primary and seconary sewage biosoids agriculrural wastes destination hotel wastes, golf fcourse, restaurant waste, seaweed) Determining commercial feasibility of bioconverter facility developments statewide.
  • First Generation BioConverter Patent

    US Patent 5,096,579 Biofilm Anaerobic Digester patent issued to James McElvaney and Jeff Jordan
  • First BioConverter Workshop

    First of three workshops presenting BioConverter principles and construction of model home sysem. 2 workshops with Institute for Sustainable Future, Pahala, Hawaii.in early spring 1993 third workshop in April 1993 with Maui Sustainable Farm Alliance with Maui Organic Farmers Association in Haiku, Maui.
  • Second Generation BioConverter BioRefinery Contract

    BioConverter $3 MM contract executed to construct facility on Maui.
  • BioConverter Biorefinery Construction

    8 vessel BioConverter system with FRP Construction and no internal moving parts, computer controlled, processing building, offices, analytical laboratory.
  • BioConverter BioRefinery Startup

    30 day startup seeded with farm digester effuent mixed with feedstock of 10-12 % high solids, 1/4 inch minus particuate, 120,000 COD, 25% cardboard ,25% yard waste, 50% food waste, on a dry-weight basis, heating to 37C. from engine-generator jacket water.
  • BioConverter Biorefinery Operational

    Operations underway including feedstock collection, input and output processing, lab analysis and system sampling and monitoring 24 hours, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. 72% efficiency converting paper, yard waste and food waste. Micro-screened efffluent solids, dried with hot exhaust dryer.
  • Liquid Plant and Soil BioStimulant Growth Trials

    BioFertilizer were tested on site in greenhouse and fruit tree crops for six months before 30 gallon samples of were provided to all members of the Maui Organic Farmers Association and the Maui Sustainable Farmers Alliance, producing rave reviews for its growth biostimulant properties within two weeks of application.
  • Single Cell Protein Feed Trials

    Global Organic Farms 50% Single Cell Protein mixed with local tofu factory soybean residues, to make a complete feed for Red Hybrid Tilapia, Results: contracted to take all SCP available.
  • Second Generation Bioconverter Provisional Patent Filing

    Provisional Patent Filing to protect technology.
  • Second Generation BioConverter Full Patent Filing

  • BioConverter Biorefinery Proposed to LADWP

    McElvaney Associates responds to Green Power RFP issued by Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Proposal to produce 40 MW of electricity from 2700 tons of cubside collected yard wste.
  • BioConverter Biorefinery Patent Issued

    US Patent: 6,254,775 B1 Anaerobic Digestion System and Method issued to James D. McElvaney.
  • BioConverter-LADWP Option Selection Study

    LADWP works through four option selection study for Bioconverter Power/Fuel contract.
  • LADWP Negotiations for 40 MW Green Power Begin

  • LADWP Negotiations Completed for 40 MW Green Power

    Negotiations completed for 20 year term contract, $16 million per annum for 40 MW net baseload electricity at $48 per megawatt-hour from BioConverter Biorefinery processing 3000 tons per day of green waste and food waste in Los Angeles, producing 63 MW gross power including 7 MW from cogenerated steam, from methane equivalent to 150,000 gallons of green LNG.
  • LADWP Board Approves 40MW Contract

    Biogas Power Project Power Purchase Agreement unanimous approval by LADWP Board of Commissioners of the largest Green Power from Biomass contract in the country. Department engineers acknowledge in hearing their full support of project following Black & Veatch review of BioConverter technology.
  • BioConverter Biorefinery Lancaster Approval

    Mayor and Council of Lancaster CA agree to BioConverter Refinery development on permitted technology development 20 acre site to process 200 tons per day of LA green waste into 10,000 gallons of liquefied Bio Natural Gas for public/commercial fast-fill station for city fleet with Air Resources Board approval.
  • LA City Council approves 40 MW Green Power contract

    Unanimous Approval of Biogas Power Project PPA by Los Angles City Council supported by letters from 10 major environmental advocacy groups. Company plans project financing, provided 30 month allowance for site acquisition, CEQA permiting, before Notice to Proceed issued by LADWP, 60 months allowed for commercial operation date COD). Company allowed 25% makeup of fossil fuels maintainig green power rate following system performance verification for 90 day period, initated $10 MM Performance Bond
  • Bioconversion of Oahu Ethanol Stillage

    Performed due diligence review of technology proposals for anaerobic bioconversion of 500,000 gal per day of ethanol stillage
  • BioConverter Biorefinery for Sebastopol, CA.

    BioConverter Biorefinery introduced to Manzana Company in Sebastopol, CA.
  • BioConverter Biorefinery Workshop

    BioConverter Biorefinery technology presented in Biogas Workshop sponsored by Sonoma County Pubic Works Department in Santa Rosa, CA.
  • ProterraBio Bioconverter Biorefinery established

    Mark Hodges CEO and James McElvaney SVP agree to partnership for the purpose of owning, operating and developing BioConverter Biorefineries on a worldwide basis.