Biodiesel equipment manufacturer Springboard Biodiesel has donated a BioPro 380 processing unit to the Center for Sustainable Energy Farming, a Torrance, Calif.-based nonprofit research organization. The BioPro 380 converts a wide variety of fats, oils and greases into 100 gallons of biodiesel every 48 hours.

“We are impressed by the research that CSEF is doing into alternative, nonfood-based seed crops that can be economically grown and converted into renewable fuels,” said Springboard’s CEO, Mark Roberts. “We are hopeful their research, specifically with camelina and jatropha, will be enhanced by Springboard Biodiesel’s equipment and that American farmers will continue to benefit from their findings. Now, more than ever, farmers are looking for ways to make fuel, domestically, for less money. Our growing base of farmers is currently benefiting both economically and environmentally from the ability to make cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel. CSEF's ongoing efforts to develop additional lower-cost feedstocks will further support this option.”

CSEF’s President and CEO, Richard Palmer, said, “The Center is very pleased to receive this donation from Springboard Biodiesel. We are planning to use this equipment to demonstrate the effectiveness of local farmers growing, processing and utilizing biodiesel on their own farms. This unit has the potential to help farmers achieve true sustainability by eliminating their need for diesel fuel to power their farming equipment. They can grow their own nonfood-based energy crops, such as camelina sativa and jatropha curcas, and process it on-farm for their own use.”