Sacramento Clean Tech Company Receives $3 Million Federal Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 15, 2012
CONTACT:
Jonelle Trimmer (Rep. Matsui) 202.225.7163
Austin Vevurka (Rep. Thompson) 202.225.3311
Sacramento Clean Tech Company Receives $3 Million Federal Award
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) and Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-01) today announced that Sierra Energy has received a $3 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). The grant will allow Sierra Energy to install its modular, community-scale waste gasification system (FastOx Pathfinder) at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hunter Liggett.
"The Sacramento region is becoming increasingly well-known as a hub for clean technology, and this award to Sierra Energy is the latest example," said Congresswoman Matsui. "Renewable energy and energy independence is the future of our country, and I am pleased that this award will allow a local company, Sierra Energy to demonstrate that its FastOx Pathfinder system can provide a secure, green source of electricity for our military."
"Northern California is a national center for energy efficiency and ingenuity," said Congressman Mike Thompson. "Grants like this create jobs, enhance our national security, and help move us closer to energy independence. With these funds, we will be able to provide a clean, reliable, American-made source of energy for our men and women in uniform at Garrison Fort Hunter Liggett."
As the nation's largest consumer of energy, the DoD has set strategic and achievable energy initiatives to reduce waste and increase its use of renewable energy. Fort Hunter Liggett was selected by the Army as part of a pilot program to be net-zero energy and net-zero waste by 2020. Sierra Energy's FastOx Pathfinder system was awarded a grant under the DoD ESTCP. As a waste-to-electricity system, FastOx transforms nearly any form of waste into clean renewable energy.
"Congresswoman Matsui and Congressman Thompson have been champions of renewable energy and advocates of our technology since its early stages of development," said Mike Hart, CEO of Sierra Energy. "California drives innovation with its climate legislation and energy initiatives, we believe by establishing our technology here, we'll be able to implement it anywhere in the world."
Sierra Energy is a waste gasification and renewable energy company that is headquartered in Davis and conducts much of its research and development at the Renewable Energy Testing Center at McClellan Park, a location specifically created to help local clean technology companies test and validate their technology. In August, Sierra Energy received $5 million from the California Energy Commission to construct a commercial waste-to-biofuels demonstration facility at the Port of West Sacramento. This facility will use the FastOx Pathfinder system to convert locally-generated, non-recyclable waste into renewable fuels.
"The Renewable Energy Testing Center is a unique public-private partnership that is accelerating commercialization of the next phase of renewable energy companies," said Bill Walden, president of Technikon, which operates the Renewable Energy Testing Center at McClellan. "We have been working with Sierra Energy over the last few years to test and validate their product, and this grant is further validation of the promise of their technology and the Sacramento region's clean technical sector."
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