SHV Energy and GTI Energy team up to further develop commercial-scale renewable propane

In the Netherlands, SHV Energy and US-based GTI Energy are entering into a strategic partnership to further develop a process for commercial-scale, on-purpose production of renewable propane.

The process will employ a novel technology for producing renewable propane and butane (also known as bioLPG) from bioethanol, delivering the propane and butane as the primary products, which is a significant improvement on current commercial processes. It has the potential to bring substantial volumes of this important, clean burning renewable fuel to the market.

The collaboration with GTI Energy builds on work SHV Energy has been pioneering for the last three years. Together with Drochaid Research Services, a renowned contract research organisation with expertise in catalyst design, synthesis, characterisation and testing, SHV Energy developed a pathway to a renewable propane production process. The research identified a viable way to successfully convert bioethanol into renewable propane, using a wide range of globally available waste, bio-based and recycled carbon feedstock. The process also yields a valuable co-product of aromatic molecules, which is a key component in sustainable aviation fuels.