According to industry reports, the global biofuels market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8.3%, reaching $243.4 billion US in 2033, driven by fuels produced from ethanol, soybean oil, and canola oil. However, as the world population grows, prioritizing food security will limit land available for fuel production. Fortunately, advancements in the creation of bio-based crude oils from non-food crop sources, such as agricultural, forestry, and municipal waste from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and pyrolysis, are ongoing. Unfortunately, bio-oils produced from these methods have high water and oxygen, making integration into conventional refining processes challenging. This is problematic as common refinery catalysts are neither water nor oxygen tolerant, rapidly losing their ability to drive needed chemical reactions when either is present.
Validating a novel catalyst to convert agriculture and forestry-based oils into low carbon fuels.
NanosTech’s innovative Olympia catalyst is designed and constructed to thrive in high water and oxygen environments. This first-of-its-kind technology enables the growth of bio-crudes from non-food competitive sources and is an exceptional option for converting agriculture and forestry-based oils into refinery-ready intermediates.
To demonstrate its commercial viability, NanosTech has acquired a mobile pilot unit capable of processing over 10 barrels per day. This unit will validate Olympia’s performance in real-world conditions, bridging the gap between laboratory success (TRL 6) and operational deployment (TRL 7 & 8). NorthX funding will support initial unit operations, which will generate the data needed to quickly scale toward a first commercial application.
