Chevron unit enters fuels research alliance

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 19 -- Chevron Technology Ventures has formed a strategic research alliance with Georgia Institute of Technology's Strategic Energy Institute to develop cellulosic biofuels and hydrogen transportation fuels.

Research will focus on understanding the characteristics of renewable resources such as forest and agricultural waste (wood or switchgrass) and identification of equipment and procedures for commercial production. Researchers also will work to develop regenerative sorbents, which could be reused repeatedly for removing carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen to reduce the cost of producing hydrogen from natural gas.

Chevron will contribute up to $12 million over 5 years toward the venture. The project is in addition to $400 million Chevron is dedicating this year to the development of alternative and renewable energy technologies.

Chevron recently formed a biofuels business unit to advance commercial opportunities related to the US production and distribution of agricultural biofuels (OGJ Online, June 2, 2006). Since 2000, Chevron has spent more than $1.5 billion on renewable energy projects such as geothermal, hydrogen, biofuels, advanced batteries, and wind and solar technologies.