Gevo Produces First Cellulosic Renewable Jet Fuel Specified for Use on Commercial Airline Flights
12 October 2016 - 12:00AM
Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO), announced today that it has completed
production of the world’s first cellulosic renewable jet fuel that
is specified for commercial flights. Gevo successfully
adapted its patented technologies to convert cellulosic sugars
derived from wood waste into renewable isobutanol, which was then
further converted into Gevo’s Alcohol-to-Jet fuel (ATJ) fuel. This
ATJ meets the ASTM D7566 specification allowing it to be used for
commercial flights. The revisions to the ASTM D7566 specification,
which occurred earlier this year, includes ATJ derived from
renewable isobutanol, regardless of the carbohydrate feedstock
(i.e. cellulosics, corn, sugar cane, molasses, etc.).
Gevo produced over 1,000 gallons of the
cellulosic ATJ. Alaska Airlines is expected to fly the first
commercial flight using this cellulosic jet fuel in the next few
months. Gevo believes that this would be the first ever commercial
flight flown with a cellulosic renewable jet fuel. This
follows on the back of the two commercial flights that were flown
by Alaska Airlines on Gevo’s ATJ in June of this year. The
ATJ for the June flights was derived from isobutanol produced at
Gevo’s Luverne, MN, production facility using sustainable corn as
the sugar feedstock.
The cellulosic ATJ was produced in conjunction
with the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA). NARA
supplied the sugars that were derived from forest residuals in the
Pacific Northwest. Gevo produced the cellulosic renewable
isobutanol at its demonstration facility in St. Joseph, MO,
that it jointly operates with ICM Inc. The cellulosic
renewable isobutanol was then transported to Gevo’s biorefinery
facility in Silsbee, TX, that Gevo operates with South Hampton
Resources where the cellulosic renewable isobutanol was converted
into ATJ.
“I have long championed the development of
commercial jet fuel made from renewable sources. It was what we
first envisioned when the Virgin Green Fund invested in Gevo with
the aim of developing fuel from cellulosic materials such as
wood waste. I am very pleased the first commercial flight
using Gevo's cellulosic jet fuel is to be flown soon by Alaska
Airlines, as we look to move the aviation industry towards a
renewable future," said Sir Richard Branson.
“Gevo’s production of this cellulosic ATJ
removes all doubt that cellulosic sugars can be successfully
converted into isobutanol using Gevo’s technology. Gevo’s ATJ
technology then reliably converts isobutanol into renewable jet
fuel, regardless of the sugar source. I’m looking forward to
seeing this fuel power an Alaska Airlines flight in the near
future. I wish to congratulate our team at Gevo, all the
other NARA members, and thank the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
National Institute of Food and Agriculture, who funded the work,”
said Dr. Patrick Gruber, Gevo’s Chief Executive Officer.
Gevo is a member of the Northwest
Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) and is providing the
organization with technology to enable the commercial scale
processing of cellulosic sugars from wood waste into valuable
products. NARA is a five-year project supported by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of
Food and Agriculture, and is comprised of 33 member organizations
from industry, academia and government laboratories. Its mission is
to facilitate development of biojet and bioproduct industries in
the Pacific Northwest using forest residuals that would
otherwise become waste products.
About Gevo
Gevo is a leading renewable technology, chemical
products, and next generation biofuels company. Gevo has developed
proprietary technology that uses a combination of synthetic
biology, metabolic engineering, chemistry and chemical engineering
to focus primarily on the production of isobutanol, as well as
related products from renewable feedstocks. Gevo’s strategy is to
commercialize biobased alternatives to petroleum-based products to
allow for the optimization of fermentation facilities’ assets, with
the ultimate goal of maximizing cash flows from the operation of
those assets. Gevo produces isobutanol, ethanol and high-value
animal feed at its fermentation plant in Luverne, Minnesota. Gevo
has also developed technology to produce hydrocarbon products from
renewable alcohols. Gevo currently operates a biorefinery in
Silsbee, Texas, in collaboration with South Hampton Resources Inc.,
to produce renewable jet fuel, octane, and ingredients for plastics
like polyester. Gevo has a marquee list of partners including The
Coca-Cola Company, Toray Industries Inc. and Total SA, among
others. Gevo is committed to a sustainable bio-based economy that
meets society’s needs for plentiful food and clean air and
water.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements relate to a variety of matters that are
not purely statements of historical fact, including, without
limitation, statements related to Alaska Airlines’ intent and
ability to use the cellulosic renewable jet fuel produced by Gevo
for a commercial flight in the coming months; and Gevo’s ability to
produce and increase its production of renewable isobutanol and jet
fuel from cellulosic feedstocks. These forward-looking
statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs,
expectations and assumptions of the management of Gevo and are
subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking
statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of
the date they are made, and Gevo undertakes no obligation to update
or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Although Gevo believes that the
expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are
reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties
that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be
expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. For a
further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ from those expressed in these
forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the
business of Gevo in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual
Report on Form 10-K of Gevo for the year ended December 31, 2015
and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings
made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by Gevo.
Media Contact
David Rodewald
The David James Agency, LLC
+1 805-494-9508
gevo@davidjamesagency.com
Investor Contact
Shawn M. Severson
EnergyTech Investor, LLC
+1 415-233-7094
gevo@energytechinvestor.com
@ShawnEnergyTech
www.energytechinvestor.com
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