Mar 30 2010
Great Plains Oil & Exploration is teaming up with Accelergy Corporation in an effort to produce biojet fuel using a technology called CTBL (coal-biomass-to-liquids). Accelergy’s method of using this technology, which employs a process of gasification to convert raw material into feedstock, which in turn undergoes liquefaction to transform into fuel via catalytic and thermal reactions, results in 20% less carbon emissions compared to standard refining practices. This technology has been successfully used on a small scale, and the new collaboration will aid the commercial large-scale demonstration.
Camelina
The mandate from European Union which requires fuels for transportation to have 10% biofuels by 2020 is driving the demand for large quantities of biojet fuel primarily from the Air Force, who has pledged to use 50% of domestic fuels by 2016, and from the aviation industry, which is aiming at certifying biofuels for commercial flights by 2012.
Montana, with its coal stock of 120 billion tons and the capability to produce Camelina in abundance, is all set for multiple gains such as exploitation of its coal reserve and creation of local jobs through new production facilities for biojet fuel. Accelergy will use the resources of the Camelina Company to create a synthetic fuel composed of liquefied coal and Camelina oil. By using this natural resource for producing low-cost biofuels, this operation will provide greater availability of these synthetic fuels in North America and Great Plains is looking forward to hit the market with its new jet fuel from a completely domestic source.