Renewable Energy Exec Renus Kelfkens Will Lead Engineering at Aries Clean Energy

Kelfkens served as an executive member and SVP, Engineering at Sundrop Fuels, a renewable energy company established through private investment, to develop the company’s gasification technology using cellulosic biomass and organic waste feedstocks for the production of biofuels. He led the front-end engineering design and project execution planning efforts for the demonstration plant project and Sundrop Fuels’ planned first commercial bio-gasoline facility.

Before joining Sundrop Fuels, he served as SVP, Engineering at Greatpoint Energy, a leading clean-coal company, where he spearheaded the development and commercialization of its innovative catalytic hydromethananation technology through pilot plant development program and demonstration scale-up design. He lead the design development efforts for Greatpoint Energy’s first US based Bluegas™ plant and support for Greatpoints’ project development initiatives in China.

During his career, Kelfkens held a number of positions within the Sasol Group of Companies in South Africa and the US. He directed licensing operations for Sasol Technology’s new coal-to-liquids organization in Houston until 2007, and previously was Engineering Manager at Sasol Chemical North America’s seven-unit chemical complex at Lake Charles, Louisiana. Before that he served as Manager of Operations Profitability Improvement for Sasol’s operations in Secunda, South Africa.