Refinery a critical step for Sparks company

The plant that Advanced Refining Concepts LLC has started building at Tahoe Reno Industrial Center marks a critical step in the development of the Sparks-based company.

The company's technology to liquefy natural gas and convert it into diesel fuel has been running smoothly in tests for about a year.

But the 100,000-gallon-per-day plant that's under construction will show that the technology can be scaled up to commercial production, says Peter Gunnerman, co-founder of Advanced Refining Concepts.

The facility will produce diesel fuel from 10 fully automated units developed by the company and using a technology it's trademarked as "Clear Refining."

The company's technology allows fuels converted from natural gas or biogas to be stored and delivered as a liquid through traditional service stations and other fuel providers. The company's conversion system uses a low-temperature, low-pressure closed-loop catalytic process.

Because the United States has abundant supplies of natural gas, Advanced Refining Concepts says its production will reduce the nation's energy imports. Natural gas also produces fewer emissions than other fuels.

The 10-acre site at Tahoe Reno Industrial Center provides room for additional units. Gunnerman said the location was selected because it has good transportation facilities and convenient access to natural gas.

The company expects construction to be complete in January. Reno Engineering is providing civil engineering services.

About 25 fulltime workers will staff the facility.

The diesel fuel produced by Advanced Refining Concepts at the facility probably will be sold to large fleet purchasers, power producers or as a blend stock to be used with other fuels, Gunnerman said.

The equipment for the plant will be fabricated at a manufacturing facility launched by Advanced Refining Concepts this year in Sparks.

The fabrication operations will allow the company to layout an entire production plant before transporting to the location where it will be assembled for operation. Six weeks ago, the company said the assembly operation's employment of 15 could grow to 50 by the time it's in full operation.

Advanced Refining Concepts LLC is privately held. It was launched and funded entirely by Gunnerman and his father, Rudolf, a veteran developer of fuels and refining technologies.