AliphaJet joins Advanced Biofuels Association, beginning commercial scale-up of catalytic process to convert plant oils to drop-in fuels
09 July 2012
AliphaJet, Inc., the developer of a cost-effective catalytic decarboxylation (CDC) process for making jet fuel, diesel and high-octane gasoline from renewable plant oils or animal fats (earlier post), has joined the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA) and is beginning its commercial scale-up program.
AliphaJet’s BoxCar catalytic de-oxygenation process (decarboxylation) converts renewable oils and fats into drop-in advanced biofuels by removing oxygen to create true hydrocarbon fuels. AliphaJet envisions small-scale facilities located where renewable oils are produced, avoiding co-location with oil refineries and reducing transportation costs.
AliphaJet’s process does not require large amounts of hydrogen, thereby lowering the cost and simplifying the procedure. AliphaJet can use vegetable oil or animal fat. AliphaJet’s diesel and jet fuel meet ASTM specifications.
The company has launched a program to build a demonstration-scale facility with annual capacity of 500,000 gallons per year to be completed and operational during the next twelve months. The demonstration facility will produce renewable jet fuel, diesel or high octane gasoline from renewable oils. Following this phase, AliphaJet will begin construction of a full commercial scale production facility.
AliphaJet is now raising $4–5 million to build and operate its demonstration plant.
As we begin the commercial scale-up phase we chose to join the most effective organization representing our industry’s interests and working to make sure we have a sound national energy policy that includes advanced biofuels.
—Jack Oswald, CEO of AliphaJet
First starches-to-auto-fuel, now oils-to-jet-fuel. All we need is something that converts proteins to something that burns well in a vehicle, and the ultra-rich can starve the entire world to feed their lifestyles.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 10 July 2012 at 06:52 AM