UNIQUE BIO GASOLINE EXACTLY DUPLICATES PETROLEUM FUEL

Bio fuel development firm, Cool Planet Energy Systems, Camarillo, CA, with support from BP, GE, Conoco Philips, NRG Energy and others, has released published information indicating successful development of a way to make gasoline from virtually any bio raw material while duplicating the properties of petroleum gasoline. The difference can only be indicated by radio carbon isotope analysis, according to Cool Planet.

Bio material is processed by unique Cool Planet modular thermal/mechanical processors into multiple gas streams for catalytic upgrading to gasoline which is claimed to have directly competitive or higher qualities of octane and energy content. The system is based on recovery from bio material of both fuel ingredients and by-product carbon that can be used as long term plant fertilizer. The combination of reduced carbon fuel and useful sequestration of by-product carbon to enhance plant growth is presented as a double gain in the effort to reduce the World carbon problem and increase agricultural production. (It is explained that bio raw material contains more carbon than needed to make fuel). Other characteristics and features of the system indicated by Cool Planet follow:

– The use of hundreds of processors throughout the U.S. (and in other countries) is said to minimize transportation distances between locations of bio raw material harvesting and processing. 

– The plan is to mass produce the processing equipment packaged in intermodal size containers for use as single or multiple combinations. 

– Virtually any bio raw material including cellulosic and algae can be used. 

– The developer claims the new gasoline will be cost competitive with petroleum product, hence, will be a major step in the replacement of imported fuel with local jobs and income. 

– Cool Planet gasoline can be blended with conventional gasoline at virtually any ratio of 0% to 100%. 

– Cool Planet’s information indicates that a variety of gasoline octane and energy values can be provided, hence, in time engines with inherent higher efficiency can be designed when higher specification fuel is available. No changes in retail fuel station equipment are needed.. 

– Information released by Cool Planet indicates that the firm’s system is performing well in field trials and that affiliations with additional firms are expected in 2012 for both the U.S. and elsewhere. It may be particularly interesting for countries with no petroleum resources of any kind.

Forecasts of the long term decline in availability of light/sweet crude petroleum coincidental with growth in demand for high grade transportation fuel, add to interest in alternative fuels in addition to their economic and national security virtues. A specific question will be the percentage of Cool Planet system output that can be JetA fuel, now that the airlines are faced with immediate CO2 emissions tax liability in bound and out bound from the EU and possibly Australia later this year.