The Fontana Renewable Fuels Terminal Expansion project was funded to increase the throughput of New Leaf Biofuel’s existing blending terminal in Fontana, California, from approximately 10 million gallons per year—equivalent to 28,000 gallons per day—of biodiesel and renewable diesel to 88 million gallons per year by 2027. This upgrade will result in a total increase of 78,000,000 gallons per year of eligible blended biofuels.
The project included construction of a tank farm to enable multiple railcars to simultaneously offload biofuel at a high rate directly into tanks instead of into waiting trucks. This allows rapid railcar turnaround and continuous high-rate automated truck loading 24 hours per day. The tank farm contains two 8,500-barrel storage tanks, three 13,600-barrel tanks, a new piping and pumping system, and associated controls, electrical systems, and instrumentation.
The terminal was designed to provide users with the opportunity to store and dispatch specific fuel qualities and brands separately and to blend renewable diesel and biodiesel in any ratio desired. Rapid, fully automated loading and data systems were included to ensure target throughputs could be met.
The project has enabled New Leaf Biofuel to transload renewable fuels sufficient to offset up to 723,146 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year, while reducing criteria air pollutants and toxic air contaminants. The terminal has already reached over 70% of this target in its first 4 months of full user occupancy.
