Gevo Inc.'s isobutanol plant in Luverne produced a record amount of the biofuel during its last quarter, but those good tidings are offset by an expected month-long shutdown of the facility.
Englewood, Col.-based Gevo ferments corn in Luverne to produce isobutanol, which is used to produce jet fuel at the company's refinery in southeast Texas. Isobutanol can also be used to fuel boat engines and small engines.
During the fourth quarter, Gevo's Luverne plant churned out 190,000 gallons of isobutanol, its highest quarterly production ever.
However, for the year, Gevo produced about 444,000 gallons of isobutanol in Luverne, below its forecast of 500,000 gallons.
On Dec. 21, the Luverne plant was shut down for unplanned repairs to a piece of pollution control equipment called a "regenerative thermal oxidizer." The company says the plant is expected to reopen by Jan. 23.
Gevo also makes ethanol at the plant, with 2.8 million gallons produced during the fourth quarter. While the Luverne plant currently makes more ethanol than isobutanol, Gevo's long-term bet is on building an isobutanol market.
