Primus Green Energy Produces High-Octane, Renewable, Drop-In Gasoline

HILLSBOROUGH, N.J., Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Primus Green Energy Ltd., the developer of renewable gasoline based in Hillsborough, N.J., has announced that it has produced its first sample of renewable drop-in gasoline through a proprietary combination of biomass conversion technologies that transforms herbaceous and woody biomass, in conjunction with natural gas, into high-octane gasoline. The gasoline produced from the Primus technology, which is virtually indistinguishable from gasoline produced from fossil fuels, can be used directly in engines as a component of standard fuel formulas and does not require costly engine modifications, overhauls of the fuel delivery infrastructure or changes in consumer behavior.

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The gasoline produced is a high quality product, with a higher-octane level (93) and a lower level of benzene than gasoline produced from petroleum. Primus Green Energy has produced fuel samples from a test plant, recently broke ground on an automated demonstration plant and is planning to break ground next year on a commercial plant in eastern Pennsylvania that will be designed to produce 4.8 million gallons per year of gasoline from wood pellets and non-food, herbaceous crops.

The easily scalable Primus Green Energy technology is a proprietary combination of industry-proven methodologies and processes. The front end consists of biomass gasification and the back end, the "STG Plus" (syngas-to-green) gasoline process, is Primus Green Energy's proprietary version of an established fuel synthesis technology.

"Our production of gasoline from biomass is a tremendous achievement," said Dr. Yom Tov Samia, chairman and CEO. "Energy security is an enormous concern in the United States, and around the globe. The United States spends more than $1 billion a day on foreign oil. Primus Green Energy's technology increases the prospect of freeing the nation from the grip of foreign oil by producing 'locally grown' gasoline at competitive prices."

Primus Green Energy is funded by IC Green Energy, the renewable energy investment arm of publicly traded Israel Corp.

"The financial commitment of a major investor since our inception has played a large role in our success, allowing us to proceed in a steady, deliberate manner without the risky shortcuts that are sometimes taken in the rush to commercialization," said Dr. Samia. "Moreover, we have achieved success with only a fraction of the amount invested by our competitors."

The development of renewable gasoline is essential to the nation's energy security. The Primus Green Energy technology possesses financial and technical advantages that successfully address many of the key challenges facing biofuels companies today, including conversion efficiency and feedstock flexibility. 

The easily scalable Primus Green Energy technology employs improved, proprietary versions of proven biomass steam gasification and fuel synthesis processes that have produced gasoline and other fuels at a commercial scale. The process has a conversion efficiency of 25 percent -- twice that of its closest competitor -- and the company expects to achieve a conversion efficiency of 33 percent, meaning it can produce gasoline more economically.

On a commercial scale, Primus Green Energy estimates that its gasoline will be cost-competitive with crude oil at approximately $60 a barrel.  

"Other companies have failed to economically create gasoline from biomass due to technology hurdles," said Dr. Samia. "Because we are using variants of proven processes, we don't have as far to develop the technology before we bring it to scale. Fortunately, we have an experienced engineering/construction partner on our side, Bechtel Hydrocarbon Technology Solutions, Inc., with a proven track record in scaling up these technologies."

About Primus Green Energy Ltd. -- Based in Hillsborough, N.J., Primus Green Energy has innovated a renewable drop-in fuel technology that produces high-octane gasoline that can be used directly in engines as a component in standard fuel formulas without costly engine modifications or changes to the fuel delivery infrastructure. The Primus Green Energy technology is a proprietary version of proven commercial technologies to convert herbaceous crops and woody biomass to liquid transportation fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Primus Green Energy's technology has recorded the highest cellulose-to-gasoline conversion efficiency rate in the industry; is feedstock flexible through the use of natural gas as a supplement or replacement for biomass; and has low production and operational costs. Primus Green Energy is funded by IC Green Energy, the renewable energy arm of publicly traded Israel Corp. For more information, visit www.primusge.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jerry Schranz, Antenna Group
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SOURCE Primus Green Energy Ltd.