Joule hits major breakthroughs including EPA approval for Sunflow®-E 

In Massachusetts, Joule announced major accomplishments in the first quarter of 2016 that are accelerating the commercialization of environmentally sustainable ultra-low carbon fuel. These advancements include EPA approval of Joule’s Sunflow®-E ethanol process as an advanced biofuel and technical breakthroughs of Joule’s award-winning CO₂-to-fuel process.

To make its Sunflow-E ethanol, which is chemically identical to traditional ethanol, Joule converts CO₂ to ethanol directly in a continuous process, using engineered bacteria as living catalysts rather than biomass feedstocks. Following a rigorous vetting process, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has qualified Joule’s Sunflow-E ethanol pathway for generating advanced biofuel (D-code 5) RINs under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

Under the CAA and the Renewable Fuel Standard, advanced biofuels must reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 50 percent when compared to traditional petroleum based fuels. In the EPA’s analysis, Joule’s Sunflow-E was found to reduce lifecycle GHG emissions by a whopping 85 percent, significantly above the required threshold.

This recognition from the EPA validates Joule’s mission to create carbon-neutral fuels for a sustainable tomorrow, and follows the 2015 announcement that Joule’s Sunflow-E ethanol was registered by the EPA for commercial use.