Gevo gets US patent for one-step ethanol-to-olefins process

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Gevo has received a patent for its process that converts ethanol into olefins in a single step, providing another way to make propylene from renewable feedstock, the US-based renewable chemicals producer said on Monday.

The patent, No 12,043,587 B2, addresses the company’s process that relies on catalyst combinations for the process, which can make propylene and butylenes, which are also known as butenes.

Gevo had licensed the technology to LG Chem.

Chemical companies have had limited ways to produce propylene or butylenes from renewable feedstock.

Technology already exists to dehydrate ethanol to produce ethylene. Companies could then convert the ethylene to propylene through a metathesis unit, but that would require an additional step and another plant, which would increase costs.

Another route is to hydrotreat natural oils and used cooking grease to produce renewable naphtha. That naphtha could then be cracked in traditional ethylene plants to produce olefins and aromatics.

This process faces possible feedstock constraints if companies wish to use nonfood feedstocks. Already, oleochemical producers that rely on tall oil have had to compete with renewable diesel producers for feedstock.

Gevo did not compare the costs of its process to these existing ways to make propylene and butylenes from renewable sources.