Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008 - (Page 61)

Synthetic Fuel Designer Fuels Being Developed by LS9 from Biomass, Bacteria A biomass-based diesel fuel and gasoline, known as “designer fuels,” being developed by LS9 Inc. could be made from genetically altered bacteria. Designer fuels are produced from the same feedstocks as ethanol, utilizing organisms to convert biomass directly into diesel fuel or a crude oil that can be converted to fuel equal to gasoline. The San Carlos, CA company (650-596-8600), is developing the designer fuels by genetically engineering bacteria to produce hydrocarbon chains. “We have developed a diesel fuel replacement,” said Greg Pal, LS9’s senior director of corporate development. “You can put it directly into the vehicle,” Pal added. In addition, the fuel can be transported in oil pipelines, an advantage over biofuels. Biocrude LS9 is also creating a synthetically-produced biocrude that is a pure hydrocarbon product using genetically engineered bacteria. “This biocrude can be transported to a refinery to be processed just like petroleum,” Pal said. “Rather than drilled out of the ground, biocrude would be produced via fermentation similar to ethanol,” Pal continued. “From the oil refinery’s perspective, it’s the same stuff as crude oil.” Pal said the plan is to produce a crude oil that could sell for $40 to $50 a barrel, making it more economically attractive to refiners than petroleum which is hovering near $100 a barrel. Next Step A lab tech at LS9 creates a “designer fuel” from bacteria and biomass. Having successfully demonstrated the potential for the fuels utilizing various feedstocks in the lab, the next step is to construct a pilot facility in 2008, Pal said. “The economics of this process, as with any biofuel, are dependent on feedstocks,” Pal said. The company began with venture capital two years ago receiving a $5-million investment. The 26-employee company has received an additional $15 million to construct the pilot plant. Myke Feinman, editor Response No. 611 JAN/FEB 08 | BFJ 61 http://www.frazierbarnes.com http://www.frazierbarnes.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008

Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008 Contents Biofuels Safety Lockout/Tagout Managing Safety Ethanol Incidents Hot Work Safety Arresting Falls Firefighting Foam Confined Spaces Natural Fiber Clothing LifeLine Foods - St. Joseph, MO Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana A New Energy Era POET - Portland, IN Company Profile, OPW State Ethanol Promotion State Report: Nebraska Anti-Lignin Beetles Sequential Extraction Developing Energy Crops Stover Logistics Cellulosic Ground Covers DDGS to Feed Fish Miscanthus: Energy Crop Webinar Series Launched New Fractionation Process Tropical Maize Ethanol Synthetic Fuel High Starch Corn Testing Abengoa's Cellulosic Ethanol Plans Credits and Incentives POET Cob Harvest High Oil Corn SunOpta Steam Explosion Process Enough Water? Ethanol Water Use Seth Snyder, Argonne National Laboratory Continuous Fermentation ACE Blend Study Wood Waste Ethanol Fodder Beet Ethanol Monthly Ethanol Production Ethanol Terminal Wood Feedstock Carbon Credits Bio Motor Oil Ethanol Bacteria Ethanol Pipeline Ethanol Plant Construction - Canada Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Under Consideration Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Construction Map In the Pipeline Ethanol Blending History Ethanol World Calendar Profile: Zabler, Pine Lake Corn Processors Industry News Western Dubuque Biodiesel - Farley, IA Profile: Winkel, Central Iowa Energy Biodiesel Construction List Biodiesel Plants Under Construction Map Wet vs. Dry Biomass Storage Book Review Green Earth Fuels - Houston, TX Biodiesel News Alternative Feedstocks Glycerol as Feed EPA Requires Standards Mustard Biodiesel Sun Grant Initiatives Biodiesel Jet Glycerol Alternatives Platts Advanced Biofuels Seminar Cellulosic Heating Oil Glycerine Used for Ethanol Blackmer Fremont Industries Biomass Association DOE Grants $7.7 Million for Biofuels Aecometric Corp. Civacon Viking Pump, Inc. SimplexGrinnell ICM Inc. Applied Milling Systems Ad Index

Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008

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