EPA OKs route for Isobutanol

Mar 11, 2017 by Guest Writer

Colorado-based biofuel company Gevo has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its isobutanol to be an advanced biofuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard program (RFS). The biofuel uses starch from feed corn to produce an alcohol.

With a partial substitution of fossil-based energy sources with green energy sources, such as biogas, it should be possible for Gevo to achieve the 50 percent or greater greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction needed to claim the advanced D5 Renewable Identification Number (RIN).

“The new EPA pathway combines the lowest cost carbohydrate feedstock sources with green energy, resulting in advanced fuels with a significant GHG reduction,” Gevo CEO Patrick Gruber said. “It is worth noting that this pathway leads to the only advanced biofuel that has potential to significantly lower GHGs while also generating large amounts of protein for animal feed. This feed corn, which is not used for human consumption, is what the local farmers are calling ‘low-carbon corn’ because of the advanced farming techniques they use to minimize chemical inputs, the low-till/no-till fields that are building up soil carbon, and the high yields that they achieve, which minimizes land use. We expect that the approval of this pathway will open up new business opportunities for Gevo, while driving sustainable environmental improvements.”

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