The company has made this development by using $1.8m grant that it received from the US Department of Energy and Agriculture’s Biomass R&D Program.
Isobutanol, a naturally occurring, four-carbon alcohol, can be used directly for a solvent and converted to isobutylene, the raw material for plastics and fiber and Gevo hopes that its isobutanol can be used for the renewable production of rubber, polypropylene, polystyrene, and PET.
The company also anticipates the use of isobutanol as a gasoline blendstock and as a building block in the production of hydrocarbons found in petroleum-derived gasoline, jet and diesel fuels.
Dr Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo, said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates Gevo’s progress in making its biocatalyst viable for use in cellulosic biorefineries. As the cellulosic ethanol industry becomes operational, companies could have the option to produce isobutanol instead of ethanol.”
