The scale up of the Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process with our partners at Blue Sun will allow us to take a significant step toward commercial scale production of 100% drop-in fuels at prices competitive with petroleum in the 2015 timeframe. The hundred barrels-per-day demonstration system will be capable of producing large fuel samples, a key enabler for ASTM certification of our fuels.

—Chuck Red, ARA’s Biofuels Program Manager

ARA, CLG, US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Agrisoma Biosciences and National Research Council Canada conducted the first civilian jet flight operated on 100% biofuels this past October using “ReadiJet” produced from Agrisoma’s Resonance feedstock and ARA and CLG’s Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process. (Earlier post.)

In parallel with the establishment of the partnership between ARA and Blue Sun, Blue Sun signed a global license agreement with Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) for use of the Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process to produce fuels that meet the necessary ASTM requirements for 100% replacement, renewable jet fuel and diesel in Blue Sun biorefineries and joint ventures throughout the world.

The core focus for ARA, research and development, dovetails with Blue Sun’s focus on commercialization.

The demonstration facility is scheduled for ground breaking in St. Joseph, Missouri in Q1 2013 and will be operational in Q3 2013. CLG and ARA’s Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process produces fuels which are ready to use, without blending, in turbine and diesel engines designed to operate on petroleum-based fuels. The low-cost process converts any non-edible fats and oils directly into high-density aromatic, cycloparaffin, and isoparaffin hydrocarbons that are ideal for drop-in jet (JP-5, JP-8 and Jet A) and diesel (ASTM D 975 and F-76 Naval Distillate) fuels.