Camelina Company España, the largest innovator and producer of camelina seeds in Europe, held on September 29 the opening of its new innovation center in Daimiel, Spain. Camelina is grown for use by Camelina Company’s parent company, Global Clean Energy, to produce ultra-low carbon renewable fuels. Renewable diesel produced from camelina is a direct substitute for traditional diesel, but with fewer contaminants and far fewer emissions.
“Camelina offers many agronomic benefits to farmers – it prevents erosion, diversifies crop rotation and acts as a harvestable cover crop that provides additional income for farmers – while contributing to our clean energy future through the production renewable fuels,” said Global Clean Chief Energy Officer Richard Palmer. “The opening of this new factory illustrates camelina’s rapid growth in Europe and we are proud of the expansion of Camelina Company.
Camelina Company introduces non-food camelina into existing crop rotations as a cover crop or as a replacement for traditional fallow periods, without causing food displacement. Using its proprietary Camelina varieties and prediction models, Camelina Company optimizes its elite varieties in different cropping systems, primarily in Europe and South America.
“The opening of this new innovation center is an important step in Camelina Company’s journey to deploy camelina as a profitable cover crop for farmers, while providing a fully sustainable solution for advanced biofuels,” said the Director of Camelina Company, Yuri Herreras Yambanis. “At Daimiel, we will be able to expand our field trial and breeding activities while ensuring a full presence close to our partner farmers in our most successful region of Spain.
The new 420 m2 (5420 sq ft) Innovation Center will allow Camelina Company to significantly expand its research and development while strengthening its presence in one of Spain’s most successful camelina regions. Since the company began producing camelina in Daimiel in 2014, farmers have increasingly embraced camelina cultivation, doubling yields to over 2,500 kg/ha, through strategic breeding and improving farmer practices.
The opening of the facility coincides with the launch of a new logo and website for Camelina Company, unifying it with the Global Clean Energy suite of companies, such as Sustainable Oils, Inc., the largest North American camelina breeder and supplier. Together, the Camelina Company and Sustainable Oils’ camelina expertise and breeding give Global Clean Energy the largest portfolio of camelina intellectual property and patents in the world.