Gevo resumes isobutanol production
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Colorado-based Gevo is resuming production of the industrial chemical isobutanol from corn at its converted ethanol plant in Luverne.
Gevo suspended production last September indicating there were problems in the process. Gevo CEO Patrick Gruber said contamination from unwanted bacteria was hurting efficiency.
"We had to go through the whole plant systematically and indentify the sources of contamination, then do some re-piping," Gruber said. "Then change the procedures on how we do things. Make sure that we're doing step-by-step with extremely rigorous procedures."
Gevo will sell the isobutanol to chemical companies and for use as fuel. The company began producing isobutanol in May 2012, before suspending production after about five months.
Gruber said it will take 12 to 18 months for the plant to reach full production.
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