Cool Planet BioFuels gets the go ahead for biofuels testing

Cool Planet BioFuels has been granted approval from the California Air Resources Board to test its negative carbon petrol.

The technology converts biomass, including grass and woodchips, into biodiesel. Through the process, a byproduct is created, which can be used as a fertiliser.

The first part of the testing will involve blending of the negative carbon fuel with E10 petrol to try and hit the target of a 10% reduction in carbon emissions in California by 2020.

Over the next couple of months, the technology will be tested with commercial companies before it is made available for public consumption.

The first batch of fuel will be derived from corn that will be sourced from the mid-west of the US.

Dean Simeroth, former chief of the CARB branch responsible for the development of California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, says: ‘Cool Planet's cellulosic based renewable petrol is the first such technology to be granted CARB approval for fleet testing. Cool Planet's test blend is designed to address California's 2020 Low Carbon Fuel Standard which mandates a 10% reduction in carbon intensity versus today's petrol.’

BP Ventures, Google Ventures and several other investors, including Energy Technology Ventures, NRG Energy and ConocoPhillip have all invested in Cool Planet BioFuels, with BP the latest investor.

Cool Planet aims to produce more than 1 million gallons of 2020 low carbon petrol this year, increasing its production to 1 billion gallons by 2015.