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How do
H d you take
t k three
th low-cost
l t energy resources:
– solar energy
– natural gas
– agricultural waste
…and transform them into advanced biofuels?
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What defines the perfect biofuel?

What defines the perfect
1. Produces the highest energy yield per ton of any biofuel 
process
2. Accepts any non‐food, biomass material as feedstock 
3. Scales to large production volumes 
to large production volumes
4. Provides “drop‐in” fuel from “green” gasoline and diesel to 
aviation fuel, fully compatible with today’s existing fuel 
infrastructure
f and engine
d fl
fleets
5. Generates low life‐cycle carbon footprint 
6 Cost‐advantaged, unsubsidized, to petroleum fuels
6. Cost advantaged unsubsidized to petroleum fuels

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Why natural gas?

Why natural gas?
• Biomass has H:C ratio of 1:1
• Biofuels
Bi f l require H:C ratio of 2:1
i HC i f21
• Conventional gasification is hydrogen‐short
– Forces
Forces 1/3 of the carbon to be converted to CO2 to 
1/3 of the carbon to be converted to CO2 to
balance the requirement for hydrogen
• Natural gas (methane) has a C:H ratio of 1:4
• Blend natural gas in feed to avoid throwing away 
carbon in the form of CO2

Bottom line: Increased yield
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Point 1: Highest energy yield in biofuels

Point 1: Highest energy yield in biofuels

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Upgrade natural gas to liquid fuel value

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Point 2: Feedstock flexibility

Point 2: Feedstock flexibility
• “High Intensity” Gasifier™
• Ultra high‐temperature/
heat flux gasification
– Gasification at over 1300 C:
Gasification at over 1300 C:
• Results in virtually
complete conversion
y g
of biomass to synthesis gas
– Allows broad
feedstock flexibility
• Agricultural waste
Agricultural waste
• “Woody” biomass from 
forest thinning
• Energy crops
Energy crops

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Point 3: Scales to large fuel production parks

Point 3: Scales to large fuel production parks

Illustration of Fuels Parks
producing 1 Billion gal/yr
producing 1 Billion gal/yr

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Point 4: “Drop
Point 4:  Drop‐in
in” fuel
fuel
Gasoline

Biomass Solar Synthesis

y
Feedstock Gasification Gas

Diesel/
A i i
Aviation 
Fully Compatible with Existing Infrastruture Fuel

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Point 5: Low carbon footprint

Point 5: Low carbon footprint
% GHG reduction over petroleum gasoline
90
80 Pure Biomass
70
Biomass/NG Blend
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50 EPA: Advanced Biofuel Criteria

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30
20 EPA: Renewable Biofuel Criteria
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0
Miscanthus Switchgrass "Woody"  Rice Hulls
Biomass

Study conducted by Life Cycle Associates, Portola Valley, CA
Well to Wheel analysis – gm CO2 eq./mile

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Point 6: Cost‐advantaged,
Point 6:  Cost advantaged, unsubsidized
unsubsidized
$/Gal ‐ Gasoline Equivalent
• Based on current markets prices, 
Sundrop Gasoline (Blend) $1.80
Sundrop Fuels gasoline would
Sundrop Fuels gasoline would 
have the lowest cost of 
Sundrop Gasoline (Biomass only) $2.18 production of liquid fuels

• Assumptions:
Assumptions: 
– Crude  ($/bbl) = 80.00
– Corn $/(Bushel) = 3.77
Petroleum Gasoline (1) $2.08
– Natural Gas ($/MCF) =  5.00
– Biomass Feedstock ($/ton) = 
Corn Based Ethanol (2) $3.19 75.00 

Cellulosic Ethanol (3) $2.74

Con Biomass Gasification to Gasoline (3) $3.33

(1) Crack  spread (2‐1‐1) derived RBOB cost based on $80.00  bbl crude oil 
(2) Calculated based on industry model, Corn @$3.77 bu, Nat Gas @ $4.70 MMBTU  
(3) Reference: National Academy of Science study : Liquid Transportation Fuels form Coal and Biomass Technological Status, Costs, and 
Environmental Impacts (2009) 11
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Ultra high temperature/heat flux furnace

Ultra high‐temperature/heat flux furnace
Biomass/Natural Gas 
Feed

Ultra‐clean 
High Value
High‐Value
Transportation
Synthesis Gas
Fuels

Solar Energy from 
Heliostat Field “High Intensity” Gasifer™
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Sundrop Fuels Gasification Process

Sundrop Fuels Gasification Process
Biomass  Biomass//
Grinding /  Natural 
Transport/ gas 
Offload Feeding

Biomass  High  Fuel 

storage Intensity
Synthesis
Gasifier

Fuel 
Gas  Synthesis
clean up 
Compression
and ash 
removal
removal 
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Operational –
p September 2009
p
“Coming On Sun”

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Commercial scale Up
Commercial scale‐Up

To 15,000 lbs/hr

Commercial
Production 
Unit 1 (CP1)
To up to 500 lbs/hr
~30 MM gal/yr.

To up to 60 lbs/hr
/

From up to 10 lbs/hr
From up to 10 lbs/hr

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Feedstocks
• Residues
– Rice Hulls
Rice Hulls
– Rice Straw
– Forestry thinnings
y g
– Wheat straw

• Energy Crops
E C
– Miscanthus
– Switch Grass
Switch Grass
– Forage Sorghum

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Near term feedstock: Residues

Near‐term feedstock: Residues
• Utilize existing infrastructure and production
– Existing aggregation possibilities
• Maximizing potential of existing ag waste streams
• Residues which are difficult for other technologies to 
utilize, such as: rice hulls etc…
Feedstock Source Tonnage Available Potential Fuel Production (MM 
(Ton/year) Gal/year)
Agricultural Residues*
Agricultural Residues 2 500 000
2,500,000 800+
Forestry Thinnings 750,000 200+
TOTAL  3,250,000 1,000+

* Results estimated given 25% of available residue is economically available to Sundrop Fuels at planned commercial site
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Milestone timeline
Milestone timeline
Laboratory scale 
(60 kW) aerosol 
reactor tube gasification
reactor tube gasification
Commercial  
Production Unit 1 
(CP1) : ~30 MM 
gallons/yr 
commissioned

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

220 MM gal/yr 
RDF plant 
Production Unit 
operating 
commissioned
on‐sun (80 kW)
(80 kW)

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Partnering

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Partnering: Critical to Success

Partnering: Critical to Success
• Take inventory of your technology and 
organization
– Recognize your core competencies
– Be brutally honest!
– Partner or “buy” everything else

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Strategic Partners
Strategic Partners

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Strategic Partner(s)
Strategic Partner(s)
• Examine your entire value chain
– What relationships are most strategic?
– Who has a strategic problem that you are going to 
solve?
– Who has the most to gain by aligning with you?

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The Partnering Process

The Partnering Process
• Examine all candidates
– Who has a strong Balance Sheet?
– Who has a culture that can support scale‐up to 
commercial production and rapid deployment?
– Sometimes seeming competitors can be the best 
partners
• Partnering is not a fast process
• Securing a partner is not the end, it is just the 
beginning.
g g
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Questions?

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