Iogen Announces New Drop-In Cellulosic Biofuels From Biogas

Iogen Corporation announced it has developed and patented a new method to make drop-in cellulosic biofuels from biogas using existing refinery assets and production operations.

The company estimates there is refining capacity in place to incorporate 5-6 billion gallons per year of renewable hydrogen content into gasoline and diesel fuel. Iogen will initially commercialize the approach using landfill biogas, and then expand production using biogas made in the cellulosic ethanol facilities it is currently developing.

The production method involves processing biogas to make renewable hydrogen and incorporating the renewable hydrogen into finished fuels in selected refinery hydrogenating units.

The overall greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by more than 60%, meeting the threshold for cellulosic biofuel in the USA. Iogen said it is actively consulting with the EPA and CARB to gain pathway approval for cellulosic RIN and LCFS credit generation.

“Biogas is produced today from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, waste digestion facilities, and farm digesters with well-proven technology,” says Patrick Foody, Iogen’s Executive Vice President, Advanced Biofuels. “We can now take biogas and make specification gasoline and diesel with renewable content using well-proven existing refining operations. It is a win for everybody.”

The company says it is planning to use the technology in association with two large-scale US cellulosic ethanol plants it is developing, resulting in increased overall cellulosic biofuel yields per unit of feedstock, lower unit capital costs, and lower water usage per unit of biofuel production. The company made the announcement at US EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Project Conference in Baltimore.