LanzaTech and DARPA to work on CO to jet fuel project
23 June 2011
Clean energy technology company LanzaTech has been awarded funds from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to perform research focusing on novel, low-cost routes for the production of jet fuel (JP-8) from carbon monoxide (CO) rich sources.
The project will focus on technology development to reduce costs for producing alcohol intermediates, which will be thermochemically converted to JP-8.
LanzaTech provides a sustainable, cost-competitive route to drop-in hydrocarbon fuels by producing alcohols from CO-rich feedstocks, such as industrial off gases that have no impact on food or water security. The economics of an alcohol-to-jet process are driven by the cost of the alcohol intermediates. LanzaTech’s novel alcohol production process, combined with partner technology for converting alcohols to JP-8, enables cost-competitive production of alternative jet fuel.
DARPA support will enable us to continue to improve the economics of this unique technology platform, leading to an economically and environmentally sound approach to alternative aviation fuels.
—Dr Jennifer Holmgren, LanzaTech’s chief executive
LanzaTech was founded in early 2005 to develop and commercialize proprietary technologies for the production of lowest cost fuel ethanol from gases produced by the steel industry. LanzaTech has expanded the focus of its process development program to include other industrial off gases and synthesis gas.
that have no impact on food or water security
Let's hope this quiets the food/fuel worriers.
Posted by: SJC | 23 June 2011 at 12:44 PM
This is indeed a very interest way to produce essential Jet Fuel.
CO is plentiful in nature and can be produced in many different ways, specially from carbon feed stocks such as coal. Taping various industrial waste, volcano, coal fired power plants, atmosphere etc could supply some of the CO required for this process.
Posted by: HarveyD | 24 June 2011 at 10:09 AM