Tolero Energy licenses fast pyrolysis technology from University of Georgia

The University of Georgia announced that California-based Tolero Energy has licensed global rights to a fast pyrolysis technology developed by the University. The biomass is heated at carefully controlled high temperatures in the absence of oxygen, and are rapidly condensed into a bio-oil that can be added to biodiesel or petroleum diesel. Other pyrolysis by-products are gas and bio-char, which can be used as a soil amendment.

Tolero CEO Chris Churchill said, “Infestations of the mountain pine beetle have devastated forests in the western United States and Canada, killing over 40 million acres of pine trees. As the trees decompose and decay, they release millions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, and the devastation has created a significant and dangerous fire hazard in the western forests.  Harvesting dead trees and forest residue and converting them to renewable fuel and soil amendment products will help reduce the CO2 released into the atmosphere and reduce the fire danger.

“The recent fire in the Los Angeles foothills,” Churchill added, “which was fueled by years of highly flammable dead biomass build-up, is a prime example of a situation where this technology can be put to use. Tolero has the capability to establish pyrolysis facilities to process the dead underbrush and convert it to a renewable fuel that is easy to transport.”

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