Global Bioenergies, IBN-One and Lantmännen Aspen partner on renewable isooctane for specialty fuel applications
11 July 2016
Global Bioenergies, IBN-One and Lantmännen Aspen, world market leader in alkylate gasoline for two- and four-stroke small engines, have entered into a partnership on renewable isooctane (earlier post) for specialty fuel applications.
Aspen is part of the Swedish Lantmännen group, an agricultural cooperative and Northern Europe’s leader in agriculture, machinery, bioenergy and food products with annual revenues of €3.4 billion (US$3.8 billion). In particular, Lantmännen Aspen’s commercial activities include specialty fuels for usage in two- and four-stroke small engines—e.g. chainsaws and lawn mowers—where the operator, machine and environment benefit from a cleaner fuel quality regarding harmful substances compared to regular gasoline.
Renewable isooctane is a highly valued gasoline hydrocarbon suitable in several of Lantmännen Aspen specialty fuel ranges.
In this context, Global Bioenergies, IBN-One and Lantmännen Aspen have signed an agreement conferring Lantmännen Aspen access rights to renewable isooctane for specialty fuel applications, both from the next-to-come Leuna demo plant and from the future IBN-One commercial plant.
Lantmännen Aspen will financially contribute to the progress of commercialization of renewable isooctane by a partnership with both Global Bioenergies and IBN-One.
A significant part of the isobutene to be produced in our Leuna demo-plant will be converted into isooctane, allowing us to provide batches to Lantmännen Aspen before start of the commercial size plant IBN-One. We are proud to have a major Swedish actor on board of our bio-fuel story, since Sweden is known to be among the pioneering countries regarding biofuels.
—Thomas Buhl, Head of business development at Global Bioenergies
Global Bioenergies has developed a process to convert renewable resources into gaseous isobutene via fermentation. Isobutene can be subsequently catalytically oligomerized into a mix of fuel-range liquid hydrocarbons, including isooctane.
In 2014, Global Bioenergies signed a collaboration agreement with Audi on the development of bio-isooctane derived from bio-isobutene. (Earlier post.) Global Bioenergies delivered the first batch of renewable isooctane to Audi in May 2015. (Earlier post.)
In January 2016, Global Bioenergies and Audi signed a new collaboration agreement (earlier post) to broaden further the feedstock flexibility of Global Bioenergies’ bio-isobutene process. (Earlier post.)
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