Greentech Lead America: Aemetis, a U.S. based producer of
biofuels and renewable chemicals, has licensed a biofuel process from Chevron
Lummus Global, a joint venture of Chevron Corp. (CVX) and Chicago
Bridge & Iron Co.
The process uses water to convert plant oils into
products that are similar to petroleum crude and are refined into fuel,
Cupertino.
Under this agreement Aemetis Advanced Fuels, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Aemetis, will be able to use the Biofuels
ISOCONVERSION Process for the production of 100 percent drop-in renewable jet
fuel and diesel in Aemetis biorefineries throughout North America.
The “drop-in” renewable jet fuel differs from other
biofuels because they may be used without blending standard, petroleum-based
products, according to Leon de Bruyn, managing director of Chevron Lummus.
“The Biofuels ISOCONVERSION Process is different from
other licensed technologies in that the biodiesel and biojet produced from the
unit are truly fungible fuel products meeting all ASTM and military quality
specifications,” de Bruyn added. “This offers our clients a unique advantage by
eliminating the need to blend petroleum derived diesel and jet into biofuels to
meet current quality requirements.”
This technology is suitable for the conversion of
existing biofuels production facilities by utilizing the rail siding, feedstock
unloading, raw material storage tanks, power generation units, Clean In Place
system, neat fuel storage tanks and loadout equipment, according to Aemetis.
“Expanding or converting existing biofuels and refining
facilities to use the Biofuels ISOCONVERSION Process accelerates the scale up
of production to supply the 70 billion gallon per year global market for jet
fuel and the 50 billion gallon US market for diesel,” said Eric McAfee,
Chairman and CEO of Aemetis.