Amyris completes synthetic biofuel pilot plant

Aside from AIG, not many companies are having parties these days. One exception is Oakland, CA-based Amyris Biotechnologies. Amyris just held a modest party at its headquarters to celebrate the completion of a pilot plant to produce biofuel. Amyris has developed genetically-engineered yeasts that can break down cellulose and transform it into other products. The pilot plant has a capacity of 2.4 million gallons of renewable diesel annually. Amyris claims its synthetic diesel is closer in composition to petroleum diesel than other biodiesels. That allows higher blending rates than are typically practical with most biodiesels. Amyris synthetic diesel can easily be blended at up to 50 percent concentrations. The company also has a joint venture in Brazil where a larger sugar cane ethanol pilot will open in the spring of 2009. The company hopes to be producing 200 million gallons a year of fuel at $2 a gallon by 2011.

[Source: Wired]