Gevo, the world's only commercial producer of bio-based isobutanol, announced that it has brought its second million liter fermenter and GIFT system online at its Luverne, Minn. facility.
"We have been successful in operating full-scale fermentations using our GIFT system – which separates the isobutanol from the fermentation broth – on a second million-liter fermenter and GIFT system," noted Patrick Gruber, Gevo's chief executive officer. "This serves to further validate our technology and plant know-how. We plan to bring the final fermenters and GIFT system online at Luverne later this year, testing run rates, then ramping up production and sales over the balance of 2013 and in 2014."
Gevo will sell the isobutanol it produces in the specialty chemicals and specialty oxygenated fuel blendstock markets, and use it as a building block to make jet fuel and chemical products, such as paraxylene, which is converted into PET and used in the production of bottles and fibers.
Dave Vander Griend, ICM's chief executive officer, said, "We're pleased to congratulate Gevo on their exciting announcement. Through our collaboration over the years, ICM has supported Gevo's efforts to become the global first commercial producer of renewable isobutanol. We were thrilled to test Gevo's GIFT technology at our pilot plant in St. Joseph, Mo., in addition to constructing new portions of their facility in Luverne. In doing this, it enabled us to implement a model of retrofitting existing assets and implementing new technology with broad market capabilities. Our combined efforts enabled us to support Gevo in bringing their first million-liter fermenter online, and then achieving the next critical step of bringing a second fermenter online, which we're celebrating today."
