Weyerhaeuser Company and North American energy firm Chevron Corporation have announced a joint venture company to research and develop cellulose-based biofuels for transport applications.
Catchlight Energy will investigate the development of non-food biofuels on a commercial scale, and will start with “novel technologies” to convert cellulose and wood-derived compound lignin from a variety of sources into biofuels.
It is the first step in a biofuels alliance between Weyerhaeuser and Chevron announced in April 2007.
“At Weyerhaeuser, we believe our timberlands hold solutions to important problems for people and the planet,” said Miles Drake, senior vice-president of research and development and chief technology officer at The Timber Company.
“Catchlight represents an imaginative approach to releasing this potential as we work to develop a sustainable solution to the world’s energy needs.”
Catchlight is a 50-50 joint venture and will see Weyerhaeuser and Chevron contribute funding, background technology and employeees to the project.
