Range Fuels
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | Vinod Khosla |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Fate | Insolvency |
| Headquarters | |
Key people | David Aldous, CEO |
| Products | cellulosic ethanol |
| Parent | Khosla Ventures |
| Website | www |
Range Fuels was a company that tried to develop technology for the conversion of biomass into ethanol without the use of enzymes. The technology employed was biomass gasification followed by syngas conversion over heterogeneous molybdenum-based catalysts to a mixture of aliphatic alcohols.[1] The company began in 2006 as Kergy [2] and changed its name to Range Fuels in 2007.[3]The company broke ground on its first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in November 2007. Range Fuels won the 2008 North American Fuels Technology Innovation Green Excellence of the Year Award.[4]
According to the Washington Examiner, Range Fuels' Soperton, GA plant closed down in January 2011 after receiving a $76 million grant from the US Department of Energy, $6 million from the State of Georgia, and an $80 million loan guaranteed by the U.S. Biorefinery Assistance Program.[5] In 2008 Range Fuel also received $158 million in venture capital from Khosla Ventures, Calpers, and Blue Mountain, and other companies.[6]
Range Fuel officially closed down in late 2011 with a foreclosure sale of its plant held on 3 January 2012. [7]
References
- ^ Lilga, Mike; "2011 Biomass Program Review PNNL/Range Fuels Alcohol Catalyst Improvement Project 3.2.5.15", downloaded from http://obpreview2011.govtools.us/presenters/public/InSecureDownload.aspx?filename=2011%20RDD%20Range%20Fuels%20Catalyst%20Improvement%203%202%205%2015%20v3.pdf
- ^ Moore, Paula; "Range Fuels at 'end of road'", Boulder County Business Report, 7 February 2012, downloaded from http://www.bcbr.com/article/20120207/EDITION07/61980 on 19 February 2013.
- ^ <PR Newswire; "Kergy Announces Name Change to Range Fuels, Inc.", 5 February 2007 downloaded from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kergy-announces-name-change-to-range-fuels-inc-54309382.html downloaded on 19 February 2013.
- ^ Range Fuels receives innovation award
- ^ Green-energy plant sucks up subsidies, then goes bust
- ^ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704364004576132453701004530.html
- ^ http://biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2011/12/05/the-range-fuels-failure/