Gevo announces progress on collaboration with BioFuel Energy

Gevo, Inc., a leading renewable chemicals and next-generation biofuels company, announced progress under a collaboration with BioFuel Energy Corp. to explore high-volume production of isobutanol. The two companies, which signed a development agreement early this year, recently completed their preliminary evaluation of technical feasibility. The companies plan to continue working to develop large-scale production of isobutanol at an existing or future BioFuel plant. The two companies will also explore the potential for seeking Advanced Biofuel status for isobutanol, which would allow domestic corn-based biofuels to compete more directly with biodiesel and imported ethanol produced from sugarcane. Gevo recently began the start-up of its first commercial-scale isobutanol plant in Luverne, Minn., U.S.A., with plans for another start-up in 2013 at its Redfield, SD, U.S.A., joint venture. “The capacity of BioFuel’s plants would allow us to begin delivering isobutanol at the scale that refinery customers are likely to demand,” said Gevo CEO Patrick Gruber. “We have the potential to be at the forefront of the Advanced Biofuel market. BioFuel Energy recognizes this potential and has agreed to explore a possible retrofit of their assets to produce isobutanol.”