Eric A. McAfee

Last updated
Eric A. McAfee
Born (1962-09-24) September 24, 1962 (age 61)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation(s) entrepreneur
venture capitalist
philanthropist
Website http://www.ericmcafee.com/

Eric Armstrong McAfee (born September 24, 1962) is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist, founding and funding companies in renewable energy, oil and gas, agriculture, networking devices and enterprise software. Based in the Silicon Valley, McAfee is Chairman of McAfee Capital, a growth equity investment fund; is a principal at merchant bank, Cagan McAfee Capital Partners; and co-founded Berg McAfee Companies, a holding company. [1]

Contents

Since 1993, McAfee has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association (CMTA). The CMTA “represents businesses from the entire manufacturing community—an economic sector that generates more than $250 billion every year and employs more than 1.5 million Californians.” [2]

Early life and education

McAfee was born in Santa Monica, California and grew up on a farm west of Fresno. McAfee graduated from Merced High School in 1980. Upon his graduation from high school, McAfee traveled for one year as a performer and lead trumpet player with Up With People . [3] While on tour with Up With People, McAfee visited 105 cities in Mexico and the United States, performed for the President of Mexico, and performed at the Indianapolis 500 and the World Figure Skating Championships. [4]

In 1986, McAfee earned a B.S. in Management, with and emphasis in Statistics, from the Craig School of Business at California State University, Fresno. [5] McAfee is also a 1993 graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Program and a 2004 graduate of the Harvard Business School Private Equity and Venture Capital Program. He is currently a resident of Loomis, CA.

Business career

Today, McAfee is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and venture capitalist with lifelong commitment to agriculture and renewable energy. He is a founding shareholder of Pacific Ethanol ($800 million revenues, $85 million from Bill Gates equity). He is a founding shareholder of several publicly held energy companies, including Evolution Petroleum, Pacific Asia Petroleum, Particle Drilling Technologies, World Waste Technologies, and Solargen Energy. He has funded more than twenty-five companies as principal investor, and has founded seven public companies with a combined high market value of $4 billion. [6]

His current project is Aemetis, Inc.. Aemetis has a mission to transform renewable energy into below zero carbon transportation fuels with its Carbon Zero production process to decarbonize the transportation sector using existing fuel delivery infrastructure through its Carbon Zero 1 plant in Riverbank, California to convert renewable electricity from solar and hydroelectric sources along with renewable hydrogen from waste orchard wood into renewable jet fuel, renewable diesel, renewable hydrogen and cellulosic ethanol, its biogas digester network and pipeline system to convert dairy waste gas from network of dairy digesters into Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), its ethanol production facility in California’s Central Valley near Modesto that supplies about 80 dairies with animal feed, its production facility on the East Coast of India producing high quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin for customers in India and Europe and its portfolio of patents and related technology licenses for the production of renewable fuels and biochemicals. [7]

Accolades

Career

2000-Present

1990–2000

1975–1990

Philanthropy

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biogas</span> Gases produced by decomposing organic matter

Biogas is a gaseous renewable energy source produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste, wastewater, and food waste. Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion with anaerobic organisms or methanogens inside an anaerobic digester, biodigester or a bioreactor. The gas composition is primarily methane and carbon dioxide and may have small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, moisture and siloxanes. The gases methane and hydrogen can be combusted or oxidized with oxygen. This energy release allows biogas to be used as a fuel; it can be used in fuel cells and for heating purpose, such as in cooking. It can also be used in a gas engine to convert the energy in the gas into electricity and heat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol fuel</span>

Various alcohols are used as fuel for internal combustion engines. The first four aliphatic alcohols are of interest as fuels because they can be synthesized chemically or biologically, and they have characteristics which allow them to be used in internal combustion engines. The general chemical formula for alcohol fuel is CnH2n+1OH.

In order to create ethanol, all biomass needs to go through some of these steps: it needs to be grown, collected, dried, fermented, and burned. All of these steps require resources and an infrastructure. The ratio of the energy released by burning the resulting ethanol fuel to the energy used in the process, is known as the ethanol fuel energy balance and studied as part of the wider field of energy economics. Figures compiled in a 2007 National Geographic Magazine article point to modest results for corn (maize) ethanol produced in the US: 1 unit of energy input equals 1.3 energy units of corn ethanol energy. The energy balance for sugarcane ethanol produced in Brazil is much more favorable, 1 to 8. Over the years, however, many reports have been produced with contradicting energy balance estimates. A 2006 University of California Berkeley study, after analyzing six separate studies, concluded that producing ethanol from corn uses marginally less petroleum than producing gasoline.

The United States produces mainly biodiesel and ethanol fuel, which uses corn as the main feedstock. The US is the world's largest producer of ethanol, having produced nearly 16 billion gallons in 2017 alone. The United States, together with Brazil accounted for 85 percent of all ethanol production, with total world production of 27.05 billion gallons. Biodiesel is commercially available in most oilseed-producing states. As of 2005, it was somewhat more expensive than fossil diesel, though it is still commonly produced in relatively small quantities.

Renewable Fuels are fuels produced from renewable resources. Examples include: biofuels, Hydrogen fuel, and fully synthetic fuel produced from ambient carbon dioxide and water. This is in contrast to non-renewable fuels such as natural gas, LPG (propane), petroleum and other fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Renewable fuels can include fuels that are synthesized from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. Renewable fuels have gained in popularity due to their sustainability, low contributions to the carbon cycle, and in some cases lower amounts of greenhouse gases. The geo-political ramifications of these fuels are also of interest, particularly to industrialized economies which desire independence from Middle Eastern oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007</span> United States law

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, originally named the Clean Energy Act of 2007, is an Act of Congress concerning the energy policy of the United States. As part of the Democratic Party's 100-Hour Plan during the 110th Congress, it was introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Representative Nick Rahall of West Virginia, along with 198 cosponsors. Even though Rahall was 1 of only 4 Democrats to oppose the final bill, it passed in the House without amendment in January 2007. When the Act was introduced in the Senate in June 2007, it was combined with Senate Bill S. 1419: Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007. This amended version passed the Senate on June 21, 2007. After further amendments and negotiation between the House and Senate, a revised bill passed both houses on December 18, 2007 and President Bush, a Republican, signed it into law on December 19, 2007, in response to his "Twenty in Ten" challenge to reduce gasoline consumption by 20% in 10 years.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), established in 1975, is a New York State public-benefit corporation, located in Albany, New York, with regional offices in New York City, Buffalo, and West Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Energy Commission</span> Government agency

The California Energy Commission, formally the Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, is the primary energy policy and planning agency for California.

On April 25, 2006, Executive Order S-06-06, the Bioenergy Action Plan was issued by the then governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, outlining a set of target goals which would establish the increasing use and production of biofuels and biopower for both electricity generation and substitution of natural gas and petroleum within the state of California. The plan asked multiple state agencies to work towards the advancement of biomass programs in California. The order would also help provide statewide environmental protection, mitigation and economic advancement. The plan was passed on July 7, 2006, with progress reports issued in 2007 and 2009.

Second-generation biofuels, also known as advanced biofuels, are fuels that can be manufactured from various types of non-food biomass. Biomass in this context means plant materials and animal waste used especially as a source of fuel.

Biogasoline is a type of gasoline produced from biomass such as algae. Like traditionally produced gasoline, it is made up of hydrocarbons with 6 (hexane) to 12 (dodecane) carbon atoms per molecule and can be used in internal combustion engines. However, unlike traditional gasoline/petroleum based fuels, which are mainly composed from oil, biogasolines are made from plants such as beets and sugarcane or cellulosic biomass- substances normally referred to as plant waste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable biofuel</span> Non-fossil-based sustainable production

Sustainable biofuel is biofuel produced in a sustainable manner. It is not based on petroleum or other fossil fuels. It includes not using plants that are used for food stuff to produce the fuel thus disrupting the world's food supply.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviation biofuel</span> Sustainable fuel used to power aircraft

An aviation biofuel or bio-jet fuel or bio-aviation fuel (BAF) is a biofuel used to power aircraft and is said to be a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The International Air Transport Association (IATA) considers it a key element to reducing the carbon footprint within the environmental impact of aviation. Aviation biofuel could help decarbonize medium- and long-haul air travel generating most emissions, and could extend the life of older aircraft types by lowering their carbon footprint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlueFire Renewables</span>

BlueFire Renewables is a biofuel company that produces a cellulose-to-ethanol solution using wood waste, agricultural residue and municipal waste. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California and is publicly traded in the U.S. on the OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol "BFRE".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renewable energy in Canada</span> Use of renewable resources in Canada

As of 2019, renewable energy technologies provide about 17.3% of Canada's total primary energy supply. For electricity renewables provide 67%, with 15% from nuclear and 18% from hydrocarbons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low-carbon fuel standard</span> Rule to reduce carbon intensity of transportation fuels

A low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is an emissions trading rule designed to reduce the average carbon intensity of transportation fuels in a given jurisdiction, as compared to conventional petroleum fuels, such as gasoline and diesel. The most common methods for reducing transportation carbon emissions are supplying electricity to electric vehicles, supplying hydrogen fuel to fuel cell vehicles and blending biofuels, such as ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and renewable natural gas into fossil fuels. The main purpose of a low-carbon fuel standard is to decrease carbon dioxide emissions associated with vehicles powered by various types of internal combustion engines while also considering the entire life cycle, in order to reduce the carbon footprint of transportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental impact of the petroleum industry</span>

The environmental impact of the petroleum industry is extensive and expansive due to petroleum having many uses. Crude oil and natural gas are primary energy and raw material sources that enable numerous aspects of modern daily life and the world economy. Their supply has grown quickly over the last 150 years to meet the demands of the rapidly increasing human population, creativity, knowledge, and consumerism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gevo</span> U.S. chemical company

Gevo, Inc. is an American renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company headquartered in unincorporated Douglas County, Colorado, in the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. Gevo operates in the sustainability sector, pursuing a business model based on the concept of the "circular economy". The company develops bio-based alternatives to petroleum-based products using a combination of biotechnology and classical chemistry. Gevo uses the GREET model from Argonne National Laboratory as a basis for its measure of sustainability with the goal of producing high-protein animal feed, corn-oil products, and energy-dense liquid hydrocarbons. Gevo is focused on converting sustainably grown raw materials, specifically No. 2 dent corn, into high-value protein and isobutanol, a primary building block for renewable hydrocarbons, including sustainable aviation fuel, renewable gasoline, and renewable diesel. Gevo markets these fuels as directly integrable on a “drop-in” basis into existing fuel and chemical products. Gevo's investors include Burrill & Company, Khosla Ventures, Lanxess, Osage University Partners, Total, and Virgin Green Fund, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Tunisia</span> Overview of the energy sector in Tunisia

The energy sector in Tunisia includes all production, processing and, transit of energy consumption in this country. The production involves the upstream sector that includes general oil and gas, the downstream sector that includes the only refinery in Tunisia and most of the production of natural gas, and varied electrical/renewable energies. Renewable energy has been a strong point of focus for Tunisia as they look to optimize their green energy sources and advance their developing country. The Tunisian government has partnered with Russia and France in hopes of establishing nuclear energy as a viable alternative to fossil fuels and taking up a nontrivial chunk of the energy production in Tunisia. This is expected to be accomplished in the 2020s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twelve (company)</span>

Twelve is a chemical technology company based in Berkeley, California. They develop technology to convert CO2 into profitable chemicals, such as plastics and transportation fuels. Currently, the company uses metal catalysts to produce synthetic gas (syngas), methane, and ethylene.

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2010-07-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ↑ "CMTA | #MakingCA".
  3. ↑ "UWP Cast D80 | Our Show". Archived from the original on 2010-07-23. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  4. ↑ "UWP Cast D80 North American Tour". Archived from the original on 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  5. ↑ "University Journal". Archived from the original on 2010-05-01. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  6. ↑ "Aemetis, Inc. | Board of Directors". www.aemetis.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-15.
  7. ↑ https://www.aemetis.com/about-aemetis/
  8. ↑ "Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs". Archived from the original on 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  9. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2010-07-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ↑ "Lyles Center :: Erik McAfee". Archived from the original on 2008-05-07. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  11. ↑ "Opportunity International | Join the Fight to Alleviate Global Poverty".
  12. ↑ "Saratoga High School". Archived from the original on 2009-11-11. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  13. ↑ "Saratoga News | 0540 | October 4, 2005". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  14. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-07-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ↑ "Mount Hermon » Welcome to Mount Hermon » About".
  16. ↑ "Mount Hermon". mounthermon.org. Archived from the original on 2009-12-02.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.