Air Liquide commissions new carbon dioxide plant in California

Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP (“Air Liquide”) has commissioned a new state-of-the-art carbon dioxide liquefaction plant in Tulare County, California. The new 450 ton-per-day facility is one of three carbon dioxide liquefaction facilities owned and operated by Air Liquide in the state.

The facility captures carbon dioxide emissions from an ethanol plant owned by Calgren Renewable Fuels. The carbon dioxide recovered is then purified and liquefied by Air Liquide to meet the specifications of the diverse food, beverage and manufacturing industries in the region. Liquid carbon dioxide provides manufacturers the benefit of quickly freezing and preserving their products. It also helps maintain safe temperatures that improve quality in certain manufacturing processes.

“The new state-of-the-art carbon dioxide facility we are commissioning today reflects Air Liquide’s continued commitment to supply high quality products and services to customers safely and reliably,” said John Buckley, CEO of Air Liquide USA LLC. “We are proud to work alongside Calgren Renewable Fuels in this venture as we grow in California, and we are appreciative of the support we have received from the local community and from our customers in this region.”

Air Liquide owns and operates 11 other carbon dioxide liquefaction facilities in the United States, all of which have received the Food Safety System Certification 22000 (“FSSC 22000”), an internationally recognized standard for food safety systems. Those plants are located in: Delaware City, Delaware; Martinez, California; Sioux City, Iowa; Wood River, Illinois; Washington, Indiana; Wilmington, California; and, Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Air Liquide will also pursue certification for the new facility in Pixley.