Vendor Selected Based on Proven Track Record of Quality Work on Previous Aemetis Projects and Extensive Utility Pipeline Construction Experience

CUPERTINO, CA, Aug. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX), a renewable natural gas (RNG) and renewable fuels company focused on negative carbon intensity products, announced today that it has awarded a construction services contract to Machado & Sons Construction Inc. (“Machado & Sons”) to build the Company’s 32-mile biogas pipeline extension connecting multiple dairy digesters throughout Stanislaus and Merced Counties in California. The pipeline will transport the renewable biogas from the dairies to the Aemetis biogas upgrading facility at the Aemetis ethanol production plant in Keyes, California, where the biogas will be transformed into commercial-grade RNG for use as a carbon-negative transportation fuel for trucks, buses and cars.

After a procurement process that included proposals from ten pipeline construction companies, Aemetis selected Machado & Sons due to their extensive experience in utility-grade pipeline construction, as well as their successful completion of a separate CO₂ pipeline from the Aemetis ethanol production facility in Keyes to the CO₂ liquification gas plant built in 2019. Machado and Sons is also currently engaged as a key construction contractor for the Aemetis biogas upgrading facility.

“Through a competitive bidding process with a number of highly qualified pipeline contractors, Aemetis is very pleased to select Machado & Sons for the second stage of the dairy biogas pipeline construction,” said Andy Foster, President of Aemetis Biogas. “Over the past few years, we have completed a number of projects with Machado & Sons, and continue to be impressed with their collaborative attitude, outstanding safety record, and exceptional construction capabilities.”

“We conducted extensive value engineering outside of the regular bid process to demonstrate our ability to execute this project safely, on time, and within budget,” said Mike Machado, President of Machado & Sons. “We have completed multiple projects with Aemetis and appreciate their professionalism during project development. We are pleased to be a key contractor in building projects that fulfill the Aemetis mission to produce carbon-negative transportation fuels.”

The pipeline is part of the Aemetis Biogas Central Dairy Digester Project which is developing a network of lagoon digesters connected via a biogas pipeline to produce renewable natural gas (RNG).  The RNG produced by the first two dairy digesters has been approved by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) at a negative 426 (-426) carbon intensity to displace petroleum based natural gas used at the Keyes ethanol production facility, and to provide carbon negative renewable fuel for compressed natural gas trucks and buses.

Phase 1 of the Aemetis Biogas project was completed in September 2020, including two dairy lagoon digesters and four miles of pipeline connected to the Aemetis Keyes ethanol plant to reduce the carbon intensity of ethanol produced by the Keyes plant. 

The planned 52 dairies in the Aemetis biogas project are expected to capture more than 1.4 million MMBtu of dairy methane and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to an estimated 5.2 million metric tonnes of CO₂ each year. The captured methane will be transformed to carbon-negative transportation fuel to displace petroleum-based diesel throughout the State of California.

The 5.2 million metric tonnes of annual CO₂ emissions reduction from the Aemetis Biogas project is estimated to reduce CO₂ emissions equivalent to removing 1.1 million cars from the road. 

The Aemetis Biogas dairy RNG project, energy efficiency upgrades to the Aemetis Keyes biofuels plant, and the Aemetis Renewable Jet/Diesel project include $57 million of grant funding and other support from the US Department of Agriculture, the US Forest Service, the California Energy Commission, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California State Treasurer’s Office, and Pacific Gas and Electric’s energy efficiency program.

About Aemetis

Aemetis has a mission to transform renewable energy with below zero carbon intensity transportation fuels. Aemetis has launched the Carbon Zero production process to decarbonize the transportation sector using today’s infrastructure.

Aemetis Carbon Zero products include zero carbon fuels that can “drop in” to be used in airplane, truck, and ship fleets. Aemetis low-carbon fuels have substantially reduced carbon intensity compared to standard petroleum fossil-based fuels across their lifecycle.

Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Aemetis is a renewable natural gas, renewable fuel and biochemicals company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of innovative technologies that replace petroleum-based products and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Founded in 2006, Aemetis has completed Phase 1 and is expanding a California biogas digester network and pipeline system to convert dairy waste gas into Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). Aemetis owns and operates a 65 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in California’s Central Valley near Modesto that supplies about 80 dairies with animal feed. Aemetis also owns and operates a 50 million gallon per year production facility on the East Coast of India producing high quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin for customers in India and Europe.  Aemetis is developing the Carbon Zero sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel fuel biorefineries in California to utilize distillers corn oil and other renewable oils to produce low carbon intensity renewable jet and diesel fuel using cellulosic hydrogen from waste orchard and forest wood, while pre-extracting cellulosic sugars from the waste wood to be processed into high value cellulosic ethanol at the Keyes plant. Aemetis holds a portfolio of patents and exclusive technology licenses to produce renewable fuels and biochemicals.  For additional information about Aemetis, please visit www.aemetis.com.

About Machado & Sons Construction Inc.

Machado & Sons is a general construction company operating in California since 1985. Over the years it has grown into a diverse company providing civil construction services in a wide range of markets throughout the State of California.

Machado & Sons was founded by Manuel Machado in 1985 and is now led by his three sons. Throughout the years, a focus on family values, continuous improvement, and forming solid relationships with clients has established Machado & Sons as a respected contractor.

The company expanded its operations from the private and commercial arena in 2009 when it began providing services to the public utility industry. This expansion fueled the company’s growth as Machado & Sons set out to add new construction capabilities to its repertoire and increase its workforce to service new markets.

Machado & Sons pioneered large scale solar farm construction during the first wave of agriculture solar construction and has been on the forefront of other innovations in the industries they service. Growing demand in the company’s field operations has allowed them to build a talented team of professional staff in the administration, estimating, equipment and project management departments.

Machado & Sons holds certifications in Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) through the CPUC Clearinghouse and is a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) under the Department of General Services, State of California.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events or other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements relating to the development and construction of the biogas cleanup and compression unit, construction and operation of the biogas pipeline, our compliance with governmental programs, and our ability to access markets and funding to execute our business plan.  Words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “showing signs,” “targets,” “view,” “will likely result,” “will continue” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions and predictions and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties.  Actual results or events could differ materially from those set forth or implied by such forward-looking statements and related assumptions due to certain factors, including, without limitation, competition in the ethanol, biodiesel and other industries in which we operate, commodity market risks including those that may result from current weather conditions, financial market risks, customer adoption, counter-party risks, risks associated with changes to federal policy or regulation, and other risks detailed in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and in our subsequent filings with the SEC. We are not obligated, and do not intend, to update any of these forward-looking statements at any time unless an update is required by applicable securities laws.

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