Legacy Fuel Company Starts Producing Sustainable Biofuel For Aviation

Koch Project Solutions, a subsidiary of Koch Industries has teamed up with the Colorado-based biofuel company Gevo to expand sustainable aviation production in the U.S.

Biofuel doesn’t get as much coverage as batteries for electric vehicles, but until the global vehicle fleet moves entirely to electricity, biofuels might provide a short-term solution.

Biofuels have great potential in the aviation industry, where heavy batteries might just not be feasible for larger planes and long-haul flights.

According to Triple Pundit, Gevo has enlisted Koch Project Solutions to provide engineering, design, and project management services for its new aviation biofuel facility.

The decision surprised many, considering the Koch Industries’ high-profile position in climate change denial.

“Nevertheless, Koch Project Solutions possesses a skill set that applies to renewable energy projects, and that dovetails with recent Koch Industries ventures into the biofuel arena. As described by Bloomberg, Koch Industries was one company among petroleum stakeholders to capitalize on a downturn in the ethanol business around the 2008 financial crisis to acquire biofuel assets on the cheap. By 2016 it was the fifth-largest ethanol producer in the U.S.”

Still, Gevo has to find a way to increase its bioenergy crop supply without clashing with sustainability issues related to agriculture.

One possible solution is regenerative agriculture which depends on improved soil health and reduced dependence on chemicals.