Production of bio-based aviation fuel
ADVANTAGES:
- Bio-derived
- High specific energy (43.06 MJ/kg)
- High volumetric energy density (38.9 MJ/l)
ABSTRACT:
Air travel emissions have a huge negative impact on the environment due to greenhouse gas emissions from traditional jet fuel. As a result, there is a high demand for biofuels for aviation use. Researchers from Berkeley Lab have produced a novel jet fuel, prespatane, from the red yeast Rhodosporidium Toruloides. Prespatane is a promising jet fuel – its specific energy and volumetric energy density are higher than traditional (Jet A) fuel. Prespatane’s specific energy is 43.06 MJ/kg which is an increase by 0.61% over Jet A specification. Saturated prespatane has a specific energy estimate of 43.27 which is an increase by 1.1% over Jet A specification. Saturated prespatane has an energy density estimate of 41.46 MJ/L which represents a 18.79% increase over the Jet A median value. Prespatane’s volumetric energy density is 38.9 MJ/L.
This technology developed by scientists at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) at Berkeley Lab offers a high titer of the novel jet fuel, prespatane, by utilizing lignocellulosic biomass, a renewable carbon source. Prespatane was produced in 2 L reactors, reaching 1.17 g/L in one-pot poplar hydrolysate. JBEI continues to optimize the titer of prespatane.
Codon optimized prespatane synthase from Laurencia pacifica is integrated into the Rhodosporidium toruloides IFO 0880 genome. To improve the sustainability of biofuel production, Rhodosporidium toruloides was treated with lignocellulosic biomass using a one-pot pretreatment saccharification and fermentation process. Lowering biomass loading while increasing duration of boiling during pretreatment resulted in an increase of sugars released from the biomass. Additionally, changing the enzyme cocktail from CTec2/HTec2 to CTec3/HTec3 resulted in a concentration of 77 g/L glucose and 26.6 g/L xylose . In all cases, dense particle suspension was observed when poplar hydrolysate remained unfiltered.
LBL PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Gina Geiselman, Blake Simmons, Taek Soon Lee
DEVELOPMENT STAGE: Proven principle
STATUS: Patent pending. Available for licensing or collaborative research.
Additional Information/links:
Microbial Production of Jet Fuel Precursor Sesquiterpenes 2018-009
Biosynthetically Produced Pinene for Jet Fuel or Chemical Applications EJIB-2895
Consolidated Conversion of Biomass into Biofuels using Ionic Liquids 2014-139