Gevo and Praj team up to commercialize renewable isobutanol, jet fuel and isooctane in India
Type of post: NEWS.
Gevo, Inc. (Gevo) and Praj
Industries Ltd (Praj) keep
a longstanding partnership based on their shared vision of the utilization of
renewable resources and renewable energy to decarbonize transportation fuels.
In November 2015, they entered into a license agreement and a joint development
agreement to enable the licensing of Gevo’s isobutanol technology to processors
of non-corn based sugars, including the majority of Praj’s global customer base
consisted of ethanol plant owners. Pursuant to those agreements, Praj adapted
Gevo’s technology to use sugar cane and molasses feedstocks and, in July 2017, they
confirmed that the adaptation was ready.
Related post: “Gevo
and Praj commercialize technology to produce biobutanol from sugar cane juice
and molasses”, 31/7/2017.
Figure 1. Gevo and Praj Industries to
commercialize renewable isobutanol, jet fuel and isooctane in India
The partnership continues to take concrete
steps and Gevo has just announced the signing of three new agreements with Praj:
1. A binding, definitive Construction License Agreement (product of the aforementioned development
agreement) to commercialize the
production of renewable isobutanol using sugary-based feedstocks, such as
juice, syrup and molasses made of sugarcane and sugar beets. Praj will
provide engineering procurement and construction services to certain third
party customers using a Process Design Package (PDP) that incorporates Gevo’s
proprietary isobutanol biocatalyst and is designed for use with sugary-based
feedstocks. The PDP is jointly owned by Gevo and Praj.
2. A Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) to commercialize Gevo’s renewable hydrocarbons products
in India, including Gevo’s renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) and renewable
isooctane derived from Gevo’s renewable isobutanol. The MoU contemplates
two phases. In phase one, Praj will
implement a pilot plant in India for the purpose of introducing Gevo’s
technology to potential customers.
Following phase one, Praj and Gevo expect to enter into a commercial
license agreement for the production of renewable hydrocarbons. Together, Gevo
and Praj expect to scale up quickly and be ready for the Indian market as early
as 2020.
3. A new Joint
Development Agreement and a new Development
License Agreement to continue their joint development efforts to produce isobutanol using: sugarcane
juice, syrup and molasses; sugar beet juice, syrup, molasses and pulp; cassava;
rice; wheat; sorghum; bagasse; rice straw; wheat straw; corn stover; cotton
stalk; empty fruit bunches. Gevo and Praj are nearing the completion of
work to develop a process design package to use agricultural residues. These
second generation biomass feedstocks are the lowest cost feedstocks in some
markets and have the additional benefit of having a very low carbon footprint.
Press release: “Gevo
to Work With Praj Industries to Commercialize Renewable Isobutanol, Jet Fuel
and Isooctane in India”, 9/4/2019.
