Aemetis Inc. announced March 16 that its 50 MMgy Universal Biofuels subsidiary in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India, has completed construction of a biodiesel pretreatment unit to process low-cost feedstocks. According to Aemetis, the ability to convert low-grade feedstock high in free fatty acids into low carbon-intensity, distilled biodiesel is a requirement under the three-year supply agreement with BP Singapore Pte Ltd. (BPS) announced last year. The biodiesel is expected to be distributed to the U.S. and EU.  

“The completion of the advanced biodiesel pretreatment unit enables the team to focus on commissioning and processing BP’s low-cost feedstocks provided under the BPS supply agreement to produce and sell low carbon high-quality biodiesel into international markets,” said Eric McAfee, chairman and CEO of Aemetis. “We expect to receive feedstock and begin production in April with shipments to BPS to begin in the second quarter of 2018.”

Universal Biofuels is the only biofuels producer approved under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard for delivery of biodiesel into California. Last April, Aemetis filed for a patent on process technology developed at the Kakinada plant for conversion of waste feedstocks into biodiesel.