Gevo and VP Racing Fuels announce collaboration to develop and commercialize specialty fuel blends
Gevo, Inc., a renewable chemicals and next-generation biofuels company, and VP Racing Fuels, Inc., a performance fuel technology and high-quality specialty fuel blends company, announced May 2 that they have agreed to jointly evaluate the commercial potential for isobutanol in a wide array of markets. The goal is to develop a product line of renewable, high-performance, isobutanol-based fuel blends for the small-engine market while looking toward other performance applications for isobutanol as well. The relationship will allow the companies to initially assess market opportunities, positioning and distribution channels to commercialize renewable fuels for outdoor power equipment.
“We look forward to exploring the potential of an isobutanol version of renewable, branded and private-label packaged fuels for retail,” said Alan Cerwick, president of VP. “Isobutanol’s unique low-water solvency and noncorrosive characteristics in small-engine fuels potentially will offer consumers a high-performance, renewable biofuel for a wide variety of small-engine applications.”
“VP is recognized as a leader in performance fuel technology with more than 70 fuel blends for motorsports, as well as fuels for small engines and hobby fuels for radio-controlled cars, airplanes and helicopters,” said Dr. Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo. “Supplying isobutanol for a new line of value-added, high-performance fuels is an exciting proposition for Gevo. We’re on the cusp of starting up our first isobutanol plant in Luverne, Minn., and we look forward to bringing another first to the industry, isobutanol-based blends for small-engine fuels.”
Gevo is converting existing ethanol plants into biorefineries to make renewable building block products for the chemical and fuel industries. The company plans to convert renewable raw materials into isobutanol and renewable hydrocarbons that can be directly integrated on a “drop in” basis into existing chemical and fuel products to deliver environmental and economic benefits. Gevo is committed to a sustainable biobased economy that meets society’s needs for plentiful food and clean air and water.
VP Racing Fuels focuses on performance fuels of all types from racing gasoline to small-engine and hobby fuels with a supply network of more than 1,500 dealers globally and a product catalog of more than 70 fuel blends. VP is the official fuel supplier of NHRA Championship Drag Racing, American Le Mans, AMA Supercross, World of Outlaws and the Trans-Am Series, among nearly 60 VP-sponsored racing series and sanctioning bodies.
