Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Cool Planet BioFuels Claims Breakthrough

Camarillo-based Cool Planet BioFuels, the developer of technology to convert biomass to gasoline, is claiming a "major breakthrough" in its technology. The company said it has been able to produce 4,000 gallons of acre biomass-to-gasoline conversion in its pilot testing, which it says is about twelve times the yield than current, corn ethanol production levels. Cool Planet Biofuels said it used the high yield plant giant miscanthus, developed at the University of Mississippi, in the pilot effort. The company said it expects a more conservative 3,000 gallons/acre under regular growing conditions, versus the test using optical crop growth conditoins. Cool Planet, which was founded by Mike Cheiky, is developing a process which efficiently converts biomass into cellulosic gasoline. The firm is venture backed by GE, North Bridge Venture Partners, BP, and others.

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