SOPERTON, Ga., March 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cool Planet Biofuels, a developer of negative and neutral carbon fuels, announced its use of REPREVE® Renewables' FREEDOM™ giant miscanthus to manufacture tank-ready gasoline. REPREVE Renewables provided feedstock to Cool Planet Biofuels for testing in its process. By using FREEDOM, Cool Planet reported that they were able to achieve a 4,000 gallons/acre conversion rate, which outperforms other feedstocks such as corn, switchgrass and wood on yield. The resulting fuel, claims Cool Planet, is chemically identical to gasoline from fossil fuel and is currently being road-tested in cars in California.
REPREVE® Renewables, LLC, is a leader in biomass energy solutions and the exclusive supplier of FREEDOM giant miscanthus. FREEDOM was developed at Mississippi State University as the best bioenergy crop for growing in the Southeast. REPREVE Renewables is focused on commercializing FREEDOM giant miscanthus by providing planting material and growing protocols to growers in the Southeast United States.
Phillip Jennings, a REPREVE Renewables founder, said the development from Cool Planet is a big step in bringing drop-in gasoline from grass to the marketplace.
"When gasoline can be made from plants, it's important to grow the most plant material per acre," said Jennings. "The yield per acre of FREEDOM giant miscanthus is unmatchable among purpose-grown energy crops. We look forward to the day when producing 3,000-4,000 gallons of gasoline per acre of land is done on a commercial scale. REPREVE Renewables is ready to do our part to make it happen."
The announcement demonstrates what is achievable under optimum growing conditions in the Southeast United States. Cool Planet estimates under more routine growing conditions, an average yield of 3,000 gallons per acre. In two years, Cool Planet has accumulated a list of investors that includes oil giant BP's venture capital arm, BP Technology Ventures; General Electric Co.; ConocoPhillips; Constellation Energy Group; NRG Energy Inc.; Google Ventures; Shea Ventures; and North Bridge Venture Partners. REPREVE Renewables continues to work with companies like Cool Planet Biofuels to bring renewable energy to commercial scale.
About REPREVE Renewables:
REPREVE Renewables, LLC, with R&D headquarters in Soperton, Georgia, is an innovator in the quest to bring workable solutions for renewable energy to market. The Company participates in the research and commercialization of viable non-food biomass solutions for renewable energy, thus decreasing U.S. dependency on foreign oil. REPREVE Renewables has the exclusive license from Mississippi State University to commercialize FREEDOM giant miscanthus, a bioenergy crop from which electricity and fuel can be produced effectively and efficiently. For more information about REPREVE Renewables, visit www.repreverenewables.com or www.freedomgiantmiscanthus.com.
FREEDOM is a trademark of Mississippi State University, used under license.
REPREVE is a registered trademark of Unifi, Inc., used under license.
For more information, contact:
Craig Patterson, 404-805-1839
cpatterson@repreverenewables.com
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