West Biofuels
West Biofuels, founded in 2007, designs, builds, and operates small-scale biomass gasification facilities that convert forest waste from fire-prone regions into renewable electricity sold to PG&E under California's BioMAT program, with biochar as a co-product.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersWoodland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What West Biofuels does
West Biofuels, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Woodland, California, is a bioenergy EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) company that designs, builds, and operates small-scale thermochemical biomass gasification facilities. It operates two complementary technology platforms: a refined Fast Internally Circulating Fluidized Bed (FICFB) gasifier—based on Vienna University of Technology designs—that produces high-hydrogen syngas for catalytic conversion to renewable natural gas, fuel ethanol, or synthetic diesel; and a Power Production Platform that combines biomass gasification, a thermal oil heater, and an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) to generate electricity alongside a biochar co-product in a zero-waste closed-loop system. The Woodland Research and Development Center, established in 2009, is described as a top-tier biomass technology facility in North America.
The business generates revenue primarily through long-term offtake agreements with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) under California's Bioenergy Market Adjusting Tariff (BioMAT), with secondary streams from biochar sales to regional agricultural markets and process heat sales to adjacent facilities. Each 3 MW facility powers approximately 3,000 homes, sources 28,000-35,000 bone dry tons of forest waste per year, and offsets up to 53,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually. Target customers include California investor-owned utilities (primarily PG&E), rural Sierra Nevada-Cascade communities facing wildfire risk and grid instability, and regional agricultural markets for biochar. Project development is conducted in close partnership with Resource Conservation Districts, USDA, DOE, CEC, and CAL FIRE.
West Biofuels transitioned to a multi-facility commercial operator following the June 2025 opening of its Hat Creek Bioenergy facility in Burney, California—one of the first Category 3 BioMAT projects in California to begin operations. A second facility (Mariposa Bioenergy) is scheduled for 2026, with a third (Mammoth Lakes) in development. Project ownership is structured through separately-formed LLCs (Hat Creek Bioenergy, LLC and Mariposa Bioenergy, LLC) with West Biofuels serving as EPC contractor and operator. The company has secured over $40 million in cumulative grant funding from CEC, USDA, CAL FIRE, and DOE OCED, including up to $30 million in active DOE OCED award negotiations for the three-facility Sierra Nevada-Cascade cluster.
West Biofuels firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- West Biofuels
- Legal name
- West Biofuels, LLC
- Website
- https://westbiofuels.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- West Biofuels, founded in 2007, designs, builds, and operates small-scale biomass gasification facilities that convert forest waste from fire-prone regions into renewable electricity sold to PG&E under California's BioMAT program, with biochar as a co-product.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
West Biofuels industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bioenergy / Renewable Power Generation
- NAICS
- Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117), Cyclic Crude, Intermediate, and Gum and Wood Chemical Manufacturing (325194)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biofuel Plant EPC, O&M & Process Technology Providers (EUAAAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Gasification & Pyrolysis-to-Power (Waste/Biomass Advanced Thermal) (EUACAIAL), Forestry & Wood Waste Biomass Power (Sawmill Residues, Black Liquor) (EUACAIAG), Bio-based Carbon Products & Advanced Bioproducts (Biochar, activated carbon, carbon black alternatives) (EUAAAIAM), Biochar Carbon Projects (Biomass to Biochar & Soil Application) (EUABABAH), Cellulosic Biofuels & Renewable Fuels (2G ethanol, SAF intermediates) (IMAMALAA)
Keywords
Where West Biofuels is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Woodland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
West Biofuels business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Renewable Electricity Sales: Sale of renewable electricity generated from biomass gasification to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) under California's BioMAT program. The Hat Creek facility generates 3 MW, enough to power approximately 3,000 homes. Each of the three planned facilities (Burney, Mariposa, Mammoth Lakes) targets 3 MW production.
- Biochar Sales: Sale of biochar co-product produced during gasification process. Biochar is a soil amendment that reduces agricultural water usage, improves plant growth, and sequesters carbon. Can be sold in regional agricultural markets.
- Syngas-derived Fuels and Chemicals: Production and sale of high-value fuels and chemicals from syngas including renewable natural gas, fuel ethanol, synthetic diesel, and jet fuel through catalytic conversion processes.
- Renewable Natural Gas: Pipeline-grade renewable natural gas production from woody biomass via gasification and fluidized-bed methanation.
- Heat Sales: Usable heat generated from the process can be sold to adjacent facilities with needs for drying or other activities requiring continuous heating.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
West Biofuels product offering
Product offeringCore offering
West Biofuels designs, procures, and builds (EPC) thermochemical biomass facilities and operates them to convert forest and agricultural biomass waste into renewable electricity, biochar, and syngas-derived fuels. Its commercial facilities, beginning with the 3-MW Hat Creek Bioenergy plant in Burney, California (opened June 2025), sell renewable electricity to Pacific Gas & Electric under California's BioMAT tariff and biochar to regional agricultural markets.
Product overview
West Biofuels operates as a bioenergy company building and operating sustainable power plants that convert forest biomass and agricultural waste into renewable electricity and biochar. The company offers two main facility types: the Hat Creek Bioenergy Facility (currently operational in Burney, CA) and the Mariposa Bioenergy facility (scheduled for 2026). Their technology portfolio includes the Power Production Platform for electricity generation via Organic Rankine Cycle and the Bio-Syngas Platform for producing syngas convertible to renewable natural gas, ethanol, and diesel. All facilities operate under the BioMAT program connecting to California's utility grids.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hat Creek Bioenergy Facility A 3-Megawatt commercial forest bioenergy facility in Burney, California, that uses gasifier technology to convert sustainably sourced forest thinning residuals into renewable electricity supplied to PG&E under California's BioMAT program and a biochar co-product sold as a soil amendment. The facility supplies approximately 3,000 homes and creates 15 permanent local jobs.
- Mariposa Bioenergy Facility A 3-Megawatt BioMAT power plant scheduled to open in 2026 in Mariposa County, California, using West Biofuels' gasifier technology to convert forest wood waste into renewable electricity delivered to the PG&E grid and a sustainable biochar co-product.
Quantifiable outcome
- Each facility offsets up to 53,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use West Biofuels
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
West Biofuels technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
West Biofuels partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.
- Mariposa County Resource Conservation DistrictmajorPartner in Mariposa Bioenergy project development, helping align local interests and standards for the community.
- Whitebark InstitutemajorPartner in Mammoth Lakes and regional bioenergy projects, supporting forest stewardship initiatives.
- MomentummajorPartner in Sierra Nevada-Cascade rural bioenergy projects.
- University of California, San DiegomajorResearch partner on $1M pilot project for renewable natural gas production via gasification and fluidized-bed methanation. Confirmed commercial-scale benefits including reduced GHG emissions and technology development.
- Hat Creek Construction & Materials, Inc.minorLocal construction contractor providing materials and grading for Hat Creek facility foundation. CEO Perry Thompson noted project as game changer for community.
- Packway MaterialsminorMaterials supplier for Hat Creek Bioenergy facility construction in Cassel, Shasta County.
- C&R ConcreteminorConcrete contractor from Woodland providing craftsmanship and labor for foundation work.
- Steve's PumpminorWell contractor for Hat Creek Bioenergy facility based in Susanville, Lassen County.
- Fall River Resource Conservation DistrictcoreCollaboration partner in development of Hat Creek Bioenergy facility. Project manager Todd Sloat noted the triple-win for the region. Partnered with California Energy Commission grant in 2017 for foundational facility funding.
- Hat Creek Bioenergy, LLCcoreOwnership entity for Hat Creek Bioenergy facility in Burney, CA. Peter T. Paul is Majority Owner of Hat Creek Bioenergy and CEO of West Biofuels. West Biofuels serves as EPC contractor and operator.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
West Biofuels competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights3 records
Customer concentration
West Biofuels social profiles
Digital presenceWest Biofuels financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
West Biofuels leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
West Biofuels subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
West Biofuels funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
West Biofuels M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about West Biofuels
What does West Biofuels do?
West Biofuels designs, procures, and builds (EPC) thermochemical biomass facilities and operates them to convert forest and agricultural biomass waste into renewable electricity, biochar, and syngas-derived fuels. Its commercial facilities, beginning with the 3-MW Hat Creek Bioenergy plant in Burney, California (opened June 2025), sell renewable electricity to Pacific Gas & Electric under California's BioMAT tariff and biochar to regional agricultural markets.
Is West Biofuels a public or private company?
West Biofuels is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was West Biofuels founded?
West Biofuels was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is West Biofuels based?
West Biofuels is headquartered in Woodland, United States, in the North America region.
How does West Biofuels make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Renewable Electricity Sales are the primary driver. The others are biochar Sales, syngas-derived Fuels and Chemicals, renewable Natural Gas and heat Sales.
Does West Biofuels have an API?
No public API is recorded for West Biofuels.
What industry is West Biofuels in?
West Biofuels's product category is Bioenergy / Renewable Power Generation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAAAHAK, Biofuel Plant EPC, O&M & Process Technology Providers, with a secondary code of EUACAIAL, Gasification & Pyrolysis-to-Power (Waste/Biomass Advanced Thermal). Its NAICS code is 221117 and its SIC code is 4991.