ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Dec. 23, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gevo, Inc. (Nasdaq:GEVO), the world's only commercial producer of renewable isobutanol, announced that the U.S. Army has successfully flown the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on a 50/50 blend of Gevo's ATJ-8 (Alcohol-to-Jet). ATJ is a renewable, drop in alternative fuel for JP8 that addresses the Army Energy Security Strategy and Plans mandate that the Army certify 100% of its air platforms on alternative/renewable fuels by 2016. This flight marks the first ever Army Aircraft to fly on the isobutanol ATJ blend. Flight testing is being conducted at Aviation Flight Test Directorate (AFTD) on Redstone Arsenal, AL and is anticipated to be complete by March 2014. Certification programs like this are part of the Department of Defense's long-term energy strategy, as evidenced by the U.S. Navy's recent announcement of its "Farm to Fleet" program through which it will begin to blend biofuels at 10% to 50% rates with conventional jet fuel (JP-5).
This testing is being performed as part of the previously announced contract with Gevo to supply more than 16,000 gallons to the U.S. Army. "Gevo's isobutanol can be used to produce a variety of conventional military jet fuels such as JP5, JP8 and commercial aviation jet fuel. We are pleased to see that the Department of Defense is moving forward with its 'Farm to Fleet' initiative and we would like to see the alcohol-to-jet from isobutanol be used as a blendstock for the 'Farm to Fleet' program that aims to produce renewable fuels in the USA," noted Patrick Gruber, Gevo's chief executive officer. "We greatly appreciate the U.S. Army's partnership and support in this effort. ATJ from isobutanol is a clean burning, homegrown, bio-jet fuel, and we have a potential route to deliver aviation biofuels at scale and at competitive cost for many aircraft platforms including military and commercial."
Gevo's patented ATJ fuel is truly the same as petroleum jet fuel. It is designed to be fully compliant with aviation fuel specifications and provide equal performance, including fit-for-purpose properties.
About Gevo
Gevo is a leading renewable chemicals and next-generation biofuels company. Gevo's patent-protected, capital-light business model converts existing ethanol plants into bio-refineries to make isobutanol. This versatile chemical can be directly integrated into existing chemical and fuel products to deliver environmental and economic benefits. Gevo has executed initial commercial-scale production runs at its isobutanol facility in Luverne, Minn., constructed in conjunction with ICM, a leading provider of proprietary ethanol process technology, and has a marquee list of partners including The Coca-Cola Company, Sasol Chemical Industries, and LANXESS, Inc., an affiliate of LANXESS Corporation, among others. Gevo is committed to a sustainable bio-based economy that meets society's needs for plentiful food and clean air and water. For more information, visit www.gevo.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements that are not purely statements of historical fact, and can sometimes be identified by our use of terms such as "intend," "expect," "plan," "estimate," "future," "strive" and similar words. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Gevo and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Gevo in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Gevo for the year ended December 31, 2012, as amended, and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by Gevo.