Blending Isooctane with renewable naphtha and alcohols (such as isobutanol or ethanol) yields a low-carbon gasoline replacement that provides excellent performance, meets gasoline standards set by vehicle manufacturers and government regulators.
Renewable gasoline could be an enormous market for Gevo and other biofuel manufacturers as the drumbeat of low-carbon fuel and gasoline blendstock becomes more pronounced.
Renewable gasoline represents a family of products we currently produce, including a 16-percent-isobutanol blended gasoline, and RG-50, a 50-percent-renewable fuel made in part from our renewable isooctane. We are working on additional products with the objective of replacing the whole gallon of gasoline with a 100-percent-renewable gasoline in the coming years. Our low-carbon fuels are made from renewable feedstocks such as low-carbon crops and other biomass resources.
Where Can I Find Renewable Gasoline?
Currently, these products are available for Seattle under a long-term contract. We also have contracted volumes being sold to our partner Haltermann Carless where it is used in high-end racing application and packaged fuels for outdoor equipment.
The isooctane that is the base material of Gevo’s renewable gasoline is derived from its corn-based isobutanol. The isooctane molecular structure has a strand of eight carbons, which gives it high energy content without premature ignition that plagues lower-octane gasolines. Isooctane is a pure hydrocarbon molecule found in gasoline and is already represented by a large part of most gasoline sold today. It’s used to make premium-grade gasolines. Similar to Isobutanol, isooctane also has several blend-property advantages: low Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP), and excellent octane rating. All of the fuels we produce have virtually no sulfur or particulates.