The fuel is biobutanol, and it can be used in gasoline-powered engines with little or no modifications. Phytonix’s biobutanol will be produced by special photosynthetic bacteria and will not have to undergo the costly separation of fuel from biomass that most biofuels do. Bruce Dannenberg, Founder and CEO of Phytonix, states, “These bacteria will act as tiny micro-refineries, using photosynthesis to make biobutanol. Biobutanol is the most promising biofuel for use as a “drop-in” gasoline replacement in spark ignition engines.” Mr. Dannenberg continues, “This is truly a direct solar, carbon-based, liquid transportation fuel. It utilizes carbon dioxide as the “feedstock” and solar energy and water to photosynthetically produce biofuels.”
This technology will not need arable land or use food crops. It will provide a way to create reliable, secure, environmentally friendly, cost-effective liquid fuels.
Phytonix has patents pending worldwide for the process technologies that will create the unique bacteria and that will prevent the bacteria from surviving if they get into the natural environment. “We believe we are the only company with this biosafety guard,” Mr. Dannenberg said.
Phytonix expects that its bacteria could produce upwards of 20,000 gallons per acre. By comparison, the current U.S. corn ethanol yield per acre is about 400 gallons. Even the highly publicized algae are expected to yield a maximum of 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of fuel per acre by using extractive processes. The bacteria that Phytonix and its partner will develop are expected to yield about five times that amount of biofuel and will simply secrete the fuel.
“The objective here,” stated Mr. Dannenberg, “is to rapidly commercialize our proprietary, safe, and ethical photobiological biofuels production technology in order to move the global economic system forward in the transition from a petrochemical and fossil fuels-based economy to a biochemical and living fuels-based economy.”
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