Our Technology

Overview

KiOR Inc. is developing and commercializing Biomass Catalytic Cracking (BCC) technology. BCC technology catalytically converts lignocelluloses biomass into a high quality bio-crude which is suitable for refining directly to standard transportation fuels.

This allows maximum leveraging of existing refining and fuel distribution infrastructure while dramatically reducing petroleum imports and carbon emissions. Our process is environmentally friendly since it requires almost no external energy, and generates only easily manageable and potentially valuable side products.

A low cost, environmentally friendly process

Every step in BCC has been carefully engineered to utilize existing technology and novel catalysts to reduce cost and complexity. Compared to other processes, our short, low pressure, low temperature process allows for much lower capital cost. Our low capital cost allows facilities to be small and modular, keeping the sites close to local biomass. This reduces transportation cost and generates jobs in rural areas.

In addition to our bio-oil, our “waste” products are water and ash (minerals). Both can be returned to the local farms as fertilizer and irrigation to enhance sustainability of the overall process. The process also generates enough heat and electricity to keep the facility stand alone, thus utilizing almost no non-renewable energy in processing.