BioFuels Journal interviewed Arnold Klann, CEO of BlueFire Renewables, Aug. 17, on its work with Solazyme and other companies for advanced biofuels.
Highlights From the Podcast
• The BlueFire pilot plant in Orange County, CA was rebuilt in 2009 to supply cellulosic sugars for advanced biofuels.
• Solazyme is using sugars from BlueFire to produce biodiesel from algae. The algae grows in the dark. The lipid oils go to biodiesel.
• Cellulosic sugars from BlueFire will be used for biojet fuels, biobutanols, and higher value fuels that are utilized as drop-in replacements for gasolines.
• These chemicals can also be used as oxegnates for jet fuels and other fuels.
• BlueFire had been producing biobutanl and biodiesel in the pilot plant, 1995-2000.
• There will be markets for ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and advanced biofuels across the globe.
Biography
With three decades of experience in corporate management, project finance, design, construction, start-up, engineering, environmental permitting, and real estate acquisition, Arnold Klann is no stranger to large-scale ventures of significant national and international impact.
Prior to co-founding BlueFire Ethanol, Klann had already successfully launched three businesses, managed complex teams for project development and operation, and led the technical commercialization, development, and permitting activities for eight petroleum coke and coal-fired power plants, worth over $650 million.
Additionally, Mr. Klann was co-founder and Chief Executive Officer for both ARK Energy and Arkenol Inc., the companies which birthed the technology that developed into BlueFire.
As CEO of ARK Energy and Arkenol, Inc., Klann successfully developed or acquired more than 610 megawatts of natural gas-fired cogeneration facilities, valued at $850 million.
He also spearheaded the research and development that led to the commercialization of the Arkenol technology, to which BlueFire Ethanol now holds the exclusive North American license.
Although bringing a wealth of professional experience to BlueFire, Klann describes the company as a personal passion.
As BlueFire builds commercial-scale cellulose-to-ethanol facilities, Klann envisions more than simple fuel production.
He sees a means of providing communities in general (and the neediest within communities more specifically) with economic development assistance.
Klann's vision does not stop at the American shoreline.
Ultimately, he foresees BlueFire becoming the facility of the future, creating increased economic opportunity in developing countries by building consumerism that presently does not exist.
This passion has spurred Klann to invest thousands of his own dollars into building BlueFire, and because of this, the company has been free to grow and expand without being beholden outside forces.
Klann holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Lakeland College (1972), and his specialties included frontier technology development, cogeneration development using natural gas-fired and solid fuels technologies, offshore oil exploration design and operations, and ocean thermal energy conversion.
For further information, call 949-588-3767.
