Alliance BioEnergy+, Vertimass ink license agreement for renewable jet fuel

California, US-based Vertimass has signed its first technology license agreement with cellulosic ethanol producer Alliance BioEnergy Plus for the production of renewable jet fuel.

Vertimass’ technology, which also results in the production of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX), enables the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals derived from ethanol.

BTEX is widely used in the production of consumer products including pharmaceuticals, paints and plastics.

The ethanol-to-jet fuel and BTEX technology offers Alliance the flexibility to add new products and market renewable fuels and chemicals with low carbon footprints.

“It is great to secure our first licensee in the US to deploy our technology using cellulosic ethanol from locally grown biomass and cellulosic waste material,” said Dr. John Hannon, COO of Vertimass. “Combining the CTS technology to produce cellulosic ethanol with our technology to transform the ethanol into jet fuel and chemicals will have significant impacts in moving forward towards carbon reduction.”

“The simplicity of the Vertimass technology results in low capital and operating costs and the ability to rapidly implement this bolt-on,” added Vertimass president and CEO Dr. Charles Wyman. “In addition, its potential to eliminate rectification and dehydration operations for fuel ethanol purification from fermentation broths can result in a hydrocarbon fuel unit energy cost that is about the same as for fuel grade ethanol.”

“We are very excited to develop this product line together with Vertimass,” commented CEO of Alliance, Ben Slager. “It creates great carbon reduction in significant fuel markets at a competitive cost. We see this as a significant step forward for both companies and an extension of the range of products and markets for both our companies.”