GE Aviation starts engine combustor testing of unblended Gevo ATJ renewable fuel
Jan 2018 – Engine manufacturer GE Aviation has started jet engine combustor testing using unblended renewable alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) fuel produced by Gevo. The testing is part of the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise Program (CLEEN) and is specifically designed to enable greater displacement of petroleum-based jet fuel by bio-based alternative products. Meanwhile, Gevo has announced cuts in staff and costs to improve cash flow but says it remains committed to increasing sales of its ATJ fuel. “In 2018, the goal is to obtain off-take agreements for our products that will support financing the Luverne Facility expansion,” said CEO Dr Patrick Gruber. “Concurrently, we are looking extensively into ways to extend our cash runway as far as possible to give us the time to land and negotiate these contracts properly.” Gevo’s ATJ was approved for commercial aviation use in 2016 and has been used in flights by Alaska Airlines and by eight other airlines on flights out of Chicago in November 2017.
