Joint effort to focus on conversion of non-food crops into renewable
transportation fuels
SAN RAMON, Calif., May 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chevron Corporation
(NYSE: CVX) and the Texas A&M Agriculture and Engineering BioEnergy
Alliance (Texas A&M BioEnergy Alliance) announced today that they have
entered into a strategic research agreement to accelerate the production
and conversion of crops for manufacturing ethanol and other biofuels from
cellulose.
Chevron Technology Ventures, a division of Chevron USA, Inc., will
support research initiatives over a four-year period through the Texas A&M
BioEnergy Alliance, a formal partnership combining the collective strengths
of The Texas A&M University System's two premier research agencies in
agriculture and engineering -- the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
(TAES) and the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES).
The research initiatives will focus on several technology advancements
to produce biofuels including, but not limited to:
-- identifying, assessing, cultivating, and optimizing production of
second-generation energy feedstocks for cellulose and bio-oils with a
focus on non-food crops,
-- characterizing and optimizing the design of dedicated bioenergy crops
through advances in genomic sciences and plant breeding,
-- developing integrated logistics systems associated with the harvest,
transport, storage and conversion of bioenergy crops, and
-- developing advanced biofuels processing technologies.
"Chevron believes that biofuels will fill an important role in
diversifying the nation's energy sources by providing a source of
low-carbon transportation fuel," said Don Paul, vice president and chief
technology officer, Chevron Corporation. "Bringing biofuels to large-scale
commercial production is an enormous challenge that requires the combined
efforts of industry, universities and research institutions, and
governments. It is through partnerships like this that biofuels will be a
viable part of meeting the energy challenges of tomorrow."
"The Texas A&M BioEnergy Alliance has a broad, holistic vision focused
on developing practical, near-term solutions to bioenergy related problems,
in addition to performing the necessary long-term fundamental research,"
said Dr. G. Kemble Bennett, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M
Engineering. "Forming an alliance with Chevron fits well with our research
initiatives and allows us to leverage our strengths in biomass and biofuels
to transfer new technologies from lab to the public, providing real
solutions that are economical, sustainable and environmentally friendly."
For instance, Texas A&M BioEnergy Alliance partners in agriculture have
developed exceptional high-yield cellulosic energy crops that can produce
significantly more biomass per acre than most alternatives.
"The development of biofuels from agricultural feedstocks requires a
regional approach and research into many alternatives for the long-term
energy needs of our country," said Dr. Elsa Murano, vice chancellor and
dean of Texas A&M Agriculture and Life Sciences. "We have been able to
capitalize on decades of existing research into sorghum, sugarcane, forage
and oil-based cropping systems, which should provide us with premier,
dedicated feedstocks for biofuels and renewable energy that are sustainable
within existing agricultural production systems."
"Cellulosic ethanol, as opposed to sugar- or starch-based ethanol,
broadens the choice of feedstock without impacting food supplies," said
Rick Zalesky, vice president of Biofuels and Hydrogen, Chevron Technology
Ventures. "Making it commercially viable poses a number of scientific and
technical challenges -- challenges which we believe the faculty, staff and
students at one of the world's premier universities in agricultural
sciences and engineering are well-equipped to overcome."
Cellulose is an energy-rich carbohydrate that is the main structural
component of green plants, found in the stems, stalks and leaves. One of
the primary technical and scientific challenges of making biofuels from
cellulose involves designing a low cost method for releasing sugar from
cellulose that is bound in the plant cell wall for fermentation into
ethanol or other biofuels.
Chevron formed a biofuels business unit in May 2006 to advance
technology and pursue commercial opportunities related to the production
and distribution of ethanol and biodiesel in the United States. Its
research and development (R&D) activities in biofuels are currently
structured around a research initiative with Weyerhaeuser Company, one of
the world's largest integrated forest products companies; a major alliance
with U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL); and a portfolio of four significant, regionally focused university
programs. In addition to the Texas A&M agreement announced today, Chevron's
biofuels business unit has formed research arrangements with the Georgia
Institute of Technology, the University of California -- Davis and the
Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels, which is a consortium of
NREL, three major Colorado universities and other private companies.
Chevron maintains a substantial internal proprietary capability directed to
applying R&D and commercializing external research success.
Chevron is investing across the energy spectrum to develop energy
sources for future generations by expanding the capabilities of today's
alternative and renewable energy technologies. Between 2002 and 2006,
Chevron spent roughly $2 billion on renewables and alternative energy and
energy efficiency initiatives. Between 2007 and 2009, Chevron expects to
spend more than $2.5 billion.
About Chevron Technology Ventures
Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV), a division of Chevron, USA, Inc.,
champions innovation, commercialization and integration of emerging
technologies and related new business models within Chevron. CTV is
pursuing this goal through business units involving biofuels, hydrogen,
emerging energy and venture capital.
Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading energy companies.
With approximately 56,000 employees, Chevron subsidiaries conduct business
in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing and transporting
crude oil and natural gas, and refining, marketing and distributing fuels
and other energy products. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More
information on Chevron is available at http://www.chevron.com.
About the Texas A&M Agriculture and Engineering BioEnergy Alliance
The Texas A&M University System is among the largest systems of higher
education in the nation. Through a statewide network of nine universities,
seven state agencies, which include Texas A&M BioEnergy Alliance partners
TAES and TEES, and a comprehensive health science center, the A&M System is
uniquely configured to optimize the integrated development and design of
cellulosic and oil-based feedstocks with emerging technologies and
sustainable supplies of biomass to address biofuels and renewable energy.
The Texas A&M BioEnergy Alliance is integrating and focusing its broad-
based resources to become a world leader in bioenergy. Over the past two
decades, faculty and staff researchers have worked on multiple feedstocks,
biofuels and bioenergy projects. The Texas A&M Bioenergy Alliance is
advancing this research toward demonstration projects and eventual
commercialization, while accelerating the next generation bioenergy.
SOURCE Chevron Technology Ventures
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Related links:
http://www.chevron.com
CONTACT:
Russell Johnson of Chevron Technology
Ventures, +1-713-954-6274; or Diane Hurtado of Texas A&M,
+1-979-847-8875
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