In the United States (US) Oberon Fuels, Inc., a producer of low carbon, renewable dimethyl ether (rDME) transportation fuel, has added five full-time employees to its team at its Brawley, California (CA). the production facility, located in a county with one of the highest unemployment rates in California. The plant expansion is a result of collaboration with SHV Energy and US$2.9 million California Energy Commission (CEC) grant
The expansion of the team comes as the company gears up to produce the first rDME in the United States and is the result of public funding from the California Energy Commission (CEC) and private investment from SHV Energy NV, the world’s largest distributor of propane. The company has four additional open positions at the plant and is actively seeking applicants.
I applaud Oberon Fuels for their investment and overall positive impact on the people and community of Imperial Valley. Imperial Valley has among the highest levels of unemployment in California, and these grant opportunities have become more significant than ever given the harsh economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Our state’s ability to support plant expansion and create new, local jobs comes at a pivotal time for our region’s workforce, said Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia (D-56).
The company still has additional positions open and all positions are essential workers under Governor Newsom’s stay-at-home executive order issued last March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oberon Fuels’ plant expansion is a shot in the arm to this community and will signal to other employers that quality employees are here and ready to work. We appreciate Oberon’s long-standing partnership and commitment to the Imperial Valley, said Timothy E. Kelley, who serves as President and CEO of the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation.
Demo-scale rDME plant
In 2019, the State of California awarded Oberon a US$2.9 million grant to upgrade its existing DME pilot facility to a demonstration-scale and enable the first production of rDME in the country with a target production capacity of approximately 1.6 million (US) gallons (≈ 6 million litres) annually.
Oberon’s CEC grant is an excellent example of how the state can make strategic public investments, such as in innovative alternative fuels and energy, which can attract and leverage additional private investment. That’s a win-win for the state’s clean energy goals, and for Imperial Valley’s workforce and economy, said State Senator Ben Hueso (D-40).
Oberon’s renewable Dimethyl Ether (rDME) fuel is a cost-effective, low-carbon, zero-soot alternative to petroleum diesel. In addition, rDME is also a cost-effective carrier for hydrogen, making it easy to deliver this renewable fuel for the growing hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle industry.
Additionally, when blended with propane, rDME can significantly reduce this clean-burning fuel’s carbon intensity. Taken together, Oberon can provide the US and global transportation sectors with practical and affordable pathways to zero-emission transportation.
Growing a business during COVID-19 is full of challenges, the least of which is finding, interviewing, and training new employees, said Elliot Hicks, Co-founder, and CEO of Oberon Fuels.
Oberon has also been collaborating with the Imperial County Workforce and Economic Development office on a range of hiring and training initiatives.
Our Business Services Team has been collaborating with Oberon Fuels in their recruitment efforts, including providing job postings for their available positions throughout our three Job Centers and ICWED Social Media platforms. ICWED is also providing On-The-Job (OJT) training for qualified applicants, which will assist Oberon Fuels by subsidizing a position, as well as preparing residents of Imperial County for a sustainable career, said Priscilla Avendano López, MPA, Director of the Imperial County Workforce and Economic Development office.
