Gevo, Inc. Announces the Concept of Net-Zero Projects for the Production of Energy Dense Liquid Hydrocarbons Using Renewable Energy
January 11, 2021 at 07:30 pm IST
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Gevo, Inc. announced the concept of Net-Zero Projects for the production of energy dense liquid hydrocarbons using renewable energy and Gevo’s proprietary technology. The concept of a Net-Zero Project is to convert renewable energy (photosynthetic, wind, renewable natural gas, biogas) from a variety of sources into energy dense liquid hydrocarbons, that when burned in traditional engines, have the potential to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the whole lifecycle of the liquid fuel: from the way carbon is captured from the atmosphere, processed to make liquid fuel products, and including the end use (burning as a fuel for cars, planes, trucks, and ships). Gevo announces that its project currently planned to be constructed at Lake Preston, South Dakota will be the first Net-Zero Project and will be named “Net-Zero 1.” Gevo expects that Net-Zero 1 would have the capability to produce liquid hydrocarbons that when burned have a “net-zero” greenhouse gas footprint. Net-Zero 1 is currently expected to have a capacity of 45MGPY of hydrocarbons (for gasoline and jet fuel, based on current take-or-pay contracts), to produce more than 350,000,000 pounds per year of high protein feed products for use in the food chain, to produce enough renewable natural gas to be self-sufficient for the production process needs, and also to generate renewable electricity with a combined heat and power system. Net-Zero 1 is also expected to utilize wind energy. Because of the low-carbon footprint feedstocks, the sustainable agricultural practices used to produce feedstock, and the use of renewable energy for the production processes, much of which is expected to be generated on-site, the hydrocarbon fuel products produced at Net-Zero 1 have the potential to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as measured across the whole of the lifecycle based on Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET model, the pre-eminent science-based lifecycle analysis model. The GREET model takes into account emissions and impacts "cradle to cradle" for renewable resource-based fuels including: inputs and generation of raw materials, agriculture practices, chemicals used in production processes of both feedstocks and products, energy sources used in production and transportation, and end fate of products, which for fuel products is usually burning to release energy. The capital cost for Net-Zero 1 is projected to be on the order of $700M including the hydrocarbon production and related renewable energy infrastructure which includes anaerobic digestion to produce biogas to run plant and generate some electricity on-site. Citigroup is assisting Gevo in raising the necessary capital for Net-Zero 1.
Gevo, Inc. is a carbon abatement company focused on transforming renewable energy into energy-dense liquid hydrocarbons that can be used as renewable fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel. The Company operates in three segments. The Gevo segment is focused on research and development activities related to the production of SAF, commercial opportunities for other renewable hydrocarbon products, such as renewable natural gas, hydrocarbons for gasoline blendstocks and diesel fuel, and plastics, materials, and other chemicals. Gevo segment also develops, maintains, and protects its intellectual property portfolio, provides corporate oversight services, and is responsible for development and construction of its Net-Zero Projects. The Agri-Energy segment is engaged in the operation of its Luverne facility and the development of the production of isobutanol, ethanol and related products. The Renewable Natural Gas segment produces-pipeline quality methane gas captured from dairy cow manure.