by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Petroleum fuels emit 94 grams of CO2 per megajoule of energy. Shell’s latest deal with SBI Bioenergy gives it access to a fuel that emits Minus 14.
That means the atmosphere gets less carbon, with every mile you drive. You motor your way to a global emissions solution.
And, offering something that electric vehicles never will — a technology that claws us back from the carbon precipice instead of a technology class that lets us dangle there forever.
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As Shell’s EVP for alt energy Matthew Tipper told The Digest not long ago, “We will likely begin manufacture in the southeast United States. We plan to be operational by late this decade. Importantly, advanced biofuels could ultimately supply a significant part, perhaps all, of Europe’s transport fuels needs. So we have big plans. We have a credible vision.”
The SBI bombshell
Into that mix arrived a bombshell last week. As we reported here, Shell acquired exclusive development and licensing rights for SBI BioEnergy’s biofuel technology. Edmonton-based SBI has a patented process that can convert a wide range of waste oils, greases and sustainable vegetable oils into lower carbon drop-ins for diesel, jet fuel and gasoline.
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The secret of carbon negativity is in the feedstock, which is waste fat, oil or grease. These have traditionally been made into biodiesel or batch renewable diesel. Here. it can be made into drop-in renewable gasoline, diesel or jet fuel.
SBI plans to source feedstock from local suppliers of vegetable oils or animal fats. SBI would like to eventually use vegetable oils from non-food oilseed crops such as carinata or camelina when these crops become commercially available. Other feedstock sources for its process include tall oil from pulp and paper mills or biodiesel from existing manufacturers.
The SBI backstory
We reported in March 2016 that SBI was preparing to open its drop-in renewable diesel and aviation jet fuel facility later that year. The demo facility near Edmonton will produce 10 million liters annually, which will be commissioned by year’s end, while a C$20 million commercial scale facility would be online by 2018 producing 240 million liters annually, the company said at the time. READ MORE and MORE (Biomass Magazine)