Swedish Biofuels Receives Second Tranche of DARPA Funding

Swedish Biofuels AB, a Stockholm-based company that develops alternative motor fuels, has been awarded an additional $3 million of research funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a division of the U.S. Department of Defense. Since 15 November 2007 Swedish Biofuels has been working under contract to DARPA for the development of JP-8 jet fuel equivalents containing 100 % biological components. The U.S. Embassy in Stockholm facilitated contacts between Swedish Biofuels and DARPA and assisted Swedish Biofuels in framing the grant request. Swedish Biofeuls received an initial award from DARPA in the amount of $2 million in 2007. This new grant brings total DARPA support to $5 million.

The U.S. Embassy supported the project as part of "One Big Thing", the Embassy's effort to achieve a breakthrough in alternative energy technology by fostering cooperation between the United States and Sweden.

After 15 months of research and development Swedish Biofuels have realized a first jet fuel prototype, a 100% biological jet fuel SB-JP-8 equivalent to petroleum based JP-8. The SB-JP-8 sample produced from grain crops was submitted to a U.S. Government test facility for evaluation in accordance with the standard MIL-DTL-83133F. Testing at the AFRL Fuels Branch of the SB-JP-8 sample demonstrated that it meets or exceeds all key first level requirements of the military specification for petroleum JP-8 kerosene.

To rapidly industrialize the method for producing biological hydrocarbons, Swedish Biofuels AB has performed tests on a motor fuel in which 25% of the petroleum diesel was replaced by biological SB-JP-8 jet fuel. The tests were performed on a standard diesel engine. Positive results from the tests have demonstrated the feasibility of replacing petroleum diesel by biological kerosene. This also provides additional possibilities for the commercialization of 100% biological SB-JP-8 jet fuel.

The U.S. Embassy has closely followed the progress of Swedish Biofuels research and actively assisted the company with contacts in the United States to accelerate the commercialization process of Swedish Biofuels technology. The availability of a commercially competitive biologically produced SB-JP-8 will provide the United States with new economic and strategic advantages, in particular, moderation of fuel price volatility and independence from foreign oil.

Currently there is no jet fuel on the market containing biological components. Swedish Biofuels' research demonstrates that biological kerosene, diesel and gasoline, produced by Swedish Biofuels methods, will have the same energy content as the corresponding petroleum fuels. The high energy content of these fuels is achieved by using a unique technology for extracting the oxygen from the feedstock and controlling the carbon backbone structure during conversion of the remaining carbon and hydrogen into liquid biological hydrocarbons identical to those from petroleum oil. The high energy content of these biological motor fuels allows them to be used as substitutes for petroleum motor fuels whilst showing identical fuel consumption.

The fuels will be fully compatible with petroleum fuel, can be used in existing engines blended with petroleum fuel in any ratio and do not require any modification of the distribution system. The expectation is that these biological motor fuels can entirely replace petroleum motor fuels.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is the central research and development organization for the U.S. Department of Defense. DARPA's mission is to maintain the technological superiority of the U.S. military and prevent technological surprise from harming U.S. national security by sponsoring revolutionary, high-payoff research that bridges the gap between fundamental discoveries and their military use.

DARPA is also supporting three other biofuels efforts that are using crop oils to efficiently produce the alternative non-petroleum based jet fuel. These performers are: Energy and the Environment Research Center at the University of North Dakota; General Electric Global Research; UOP LLC, a Honeywell company.

Swedish Biofuels AB is the only DARPA effort to have produced a sample of grain derived 100% biological jet fuel that meets all key first level military specifications for the petroleum derived JP-8 jet fuel.

For further information:
Swedish Biofuels AB
Angelica Hull
+46 70 553 6456
PO Box 122 76
102 27 Stockholm
Sweden

Contact person:
Defense Advanced Research Project Agency
Jan R. Walker, External Relations
+1 703 696-2404 (voice)
+1 703 741-0614 (fax)
jan.walker@darpa.mil

U.S. Embassy Stockholm
Robert Hilton
Counselor for Public Affairs
+46 8 783 5440
HiltonRB@state.gov