Valmet to supply feeding system for the new Red Rock Biofuel’s biorefinery in Lakeview, Oregon, United States

Valmet will supply a pressure plug screw feeder system to IR1 Group LLC for the Red Rock Biofuel’s biorefinery under construction in Lakeview, Oregon, United States. 

Red Rock Biofuels LLC (“RRB” or “Red Rock”) is building a second-generation commercial scale biorefinery, that will convert waste woody biomass into renewable jet, diesel and gasoline blend stock fuels. The start-up of the biorefinery is planned in 2020.

The facility is an economic and environmental game-changer, according to the project’s developers.

“This biorefinery marks a turning point, it will help this mill town continue to be a place where things are made, and it will combat global climate change. This is the first of its kind in the world. May this be the precedent for a great highway fueled by courage and innovation," says Jeff Manternach, Red Rock’s Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer.

“Through a proprietary integration of existing technologies, RRB makes the long-commercialized Fischer-Tropsch process economic at the biomass scale. By using forest and sawmill residues, RRB will also reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by removing waste biomass from overstocked forests. The Valmet pressure plug screw feeder is a critical component to the operation,” says Garth Russell, Business Manager, Mechanical Pulping at Valmet.

Information about the delivery

Valmet will supply a pressure boundary plug screw feeder system sealing the pyrolysis reactor pressure against the atmosphere.  The system is designed to feed against high pressure (300 psig or 20 bars) and to feed a wide range of feedstocks and bulk density.

Information about Red Rock Biofuels LLC and IR1 Group LLC

Red Rock was founded in 2011 and is positioned to be the leading producer of drop-in, renewable, low-carbon jet and diesel fuels.

Through a proprietary integration of existing technologies, RRB makes the long-commercialized Fischer-Tropsch process economic at the biomass scale.  By using forest and sawmill residues, Red Rock will not only avoid competition for agricultural resources, but also reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by removing waste biomass from overgrown forests.

The IR1 Group LLC has built and operated over 325 million gallons (1,255 million liters) of biofuels production capacity and is currently constructing the Red Rock Biofuels LLC biorefinery in Lakeview, Oregon. IR1 will build a global portfolio of biorefineries to convert waste woody biomass into renewable jet and diesel fuels. IR1 brings a core set of project development disciplines to move projects through feasibility, development, finance, design & engineering, procurement, construction and operations.