ABOUT
SBI BioEnergy (SBI) is an Alberta-based company incorporated in 2007 to produce unique environmentally friendly Drop-In renewable fuels. The company has recently proven the efficacy of producing renewable diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel.
SBI’s fuels are called Drop-In as they are chemically indistinguishable from and perform similarly to petroleum fuels. Unlike biodiesel, SBI’s renewable fuels do not require blending with petroleum fuels and do not require any modifications to engines or infrastructure. In addition to renewable fuels, SBI can also produce high quality colourless biodiesel as an intermediate product as well as pure glycerin co-product.
THE TECHNOLOGY
SBI uses a continuous catalytic process that converts fat, oil, or grease into renewable gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. SBI’s continuous flow process called “Process Intensification and Continuous Flow-Through Reaction” (PICFTR) was originally developed for production of advanced pharmaceuticals and fine chemical intermediates. Compared to conventional reactor systems, PICFTR enables SBI to have a smaller physical footprint and the ability to quickly scale-up with much lower risk. SBI’s proprietary catalysts, called “Continuous Green Catalysts” (CGCTM), are inexpensive, have a long active life, and are easy to rejuvenate. CGCTM catalysts function in a way that does not require the addition of hydrogen, consumable chemicals, or water to the reaction, generate any waste stream.
THE FEEDSTOCK
SBI’s process is feedstock-flexible allowing for the use of the most inexpensive feedstock type available. SBI plans to source feedstock from local suppliers of vegetable oils or animal fats. SBI would like to eventually use vegetable oils from non-food oilseed crops such as carinata or camelina when these crops become commercially available. Other feedstock sources for its process include tall oil from pulp and paper mills or biodiesel from existing manufacturers.
THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
SBI has lower capital and operating costs than its competitors since it does not need to purchase hydrogen, incorporate expensive hydrogen safety features, consume water or chemicals, or build a large physical plant. Furthermore, SBI will produce pure glycerin that can be sold to food, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries. SBI expects that the sales of pure glycerin will offset much of the cost to produce its fuels.
Upon completion of the pre-commercial demonstration plant, SBI will license its intellectual property to strategic partners to build full scale commercial plants. SBI has already received interest from multiple large oil & gas companies that own and operate refineries.