Energy giant Shell has signed an agreement with Global Bioenergies to develop and test new low-carbon fuels for use in road vehicles. The move follows the testing of samples from Global Bioenergies this summer.
Global Bioenergies produces compounds from plant-based sources. Its trademark Isonaturane 12 product is being promoted as a way for cosmetic companies to lower their carbon footprints while also making their formulas more natural. The new partnership with Shell will involve jointly studying new ways of taking biological feedstock and using it to produce the molecules needed for high-octane fuel, including making it on a manufacturing scale. An exclusivity period is included in the agreement, so these innovative concepts can be developed further in future.
The vice president for lubricant and fuels technology at Shell, Selda Gunsel, said that decarbonisation in the mobility industry:
“…will require a range of solutions and we’re keen to explore different pathways to achieve this. We are already evaluating the opportunity of off-taking volumes of isobutene and derivatives from Global Bioenergies’ existing and future plants. It is collaborations, such as this, that are helping accelerate progress in this space.”
Global Bioenergies’ CEO, Marc Delcourt, said that internal combustion engines would clearly continue to play a role for some time to come and his company was looking forward to collaborating with Shell on the project. He added that he expects that road transportation in future will employ a fuel mix that makes the most of low-carbon sources, such as biofuel.
