Virent announced it has successfully produced biogasoline from corn stover and pine harvest forest residuals, as a recipient of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) February 2010 grant to the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC). Virent’s milestone supports the NABC’s goal to develop technologies to convert cellulosic biomass feedstocks into hydrocarbon fuels that are sustainable, cost-effective and compatible with existing infrastructure.Virent’s catalysis of lignocellulosic sugars (CLS) is one of six different process strategies represented in the DOE’s grant program with the NABC. the CLS strategy work to date was completed in collaboration with Catchlight Energy (pine material supplier) and Iowa State University (corn stover supplier), with Washington State University performing oxidation and enzymatic hydrolysis treatments necessary to digest cellulose for these two samples. the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) supplied two additional hydrolysate samples that underwent a dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis process for breakdown of the cellulose. Virent then processed the four hydrolysate samples using its patented BioForming process.
Virent fed each of the four hydrolysate samples into its aqueous-phase reforming (APR) catalyst reactor system, removing most of the oxygen from the biomass sugar mixtures, producing monoxygenates such as alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, plus the reforming products of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Unlike other pathways, Virent’s APR process is well suited to handle mixed sugars from cellulosic streams with minimal processing. the liquids were then fed into Virent’s catalytic oxygenates to aromatics (COTA) process to produce a high octane biogasoline, which the company has trademarked BioFormate. “Producing gasoline from cellulosics is an important milestone for our company, and for the biofuels industry overall,” said Randy Cortright, Virent founder and chief technology officer. “We anticipate further development in our production of drop-in fuels and chemicals from biomass, giving our nation long-awaited access to a wider range of feedstock choices.”
Gas chromatography analysis shows the similarity between BioFormate gasoline and a typical petroleum reformate used at a refinery. the biogasoline can be blended at high concentrations like existing high-octane petroleum reformate.
Gas chromatography analysis, seen in the accompanying figure with each sample stacked for clarity, shows the similarity between BioFormate gasoline and a typical petroleum reformate used at a refinery. Because of this similarity, Virent’s biogasoline is truly “drop-in,” meaning it can be blended at high concentrations just as high-octane petroleum reformate is used in blending commercial gasolines today. More detailed technical information about Virent’s work with the NABC can be found at the NABC website. the development of Virent’s BioForming technology platform is supported through strategic investors including Cargill, Shell and Honda, as well as 100 employees based in Madison, Wisconsin. the company has received several grants from the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Energy and Agriculture and has been recognized with honors including the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer award and the EPA’s Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award. Virent’s biogasoline is also being used by the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 racing team.For more about Virent