Vertimass
Vertimass LLC is an Irvine, California-based clean energy technology company that holds a worldwide exclusive license for a novel catalyst technology invented at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the conversion of ethanol into jet fuel, diesel fuel, gasoline blend stocks, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) compatible with the existing transportation fuel infrastructure. The company's Consolidated Alcohol Dehydration and Oligomerization (CADO) process transforms ethanol — whether derived from corn, sugar cane, or cellulosic biomass — into hydrocarbon blend stocks that are anticipated to qualify for the Renewable Fuel Standard at the same level as the source ethanol. Unlike conventional ethanol, which is limited by a blend wall capping its share of the gasoline pool at approximately 10%, Vertimass's hydrocarbon products are fully compatible with existing fuel distribution infrastructure, vehicles, and aircraft without blend wall limitations.
The Vertimass process offers several technical advantages that support its commercial viability: virtually complete conversion of ethanol into hydrocarbons, no requirement for hydrogen addition, production of minimal light gases, mild operating conditions at relatively low temperatures and atmospheric pressure, and the ability to process ethanol concentrations from 5% to 100%. The low-capital and low-operating-cost design allows Vertimass technology to be bolted onto existing ethanol production facilities at a fraction of the cost of new greenfield construction, enabling rapid commercial deployment across the approximately 200 ethanol plants in the United States that collectively produce roughly 14 billion gallons of ethanol per year. The company is also developing pathways for converting carbon dioxide directly into sustainable aviation fuel, targeting the aviation sector's decarbonization goals and the U.S. government's commitment under the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative to produce three billion gallons of sustainable fuel and reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030.
Vertimass is led by Chairman Bill Shopoff, President and CEO Charles Wyman PhD, COO John Hannon PhD, and EVP Tom Mullen, supported by a team of scientists, engineers, and business executives with expertise in catalysis, ethanol production, fuels chemistry, and commercial scale-up. The company's technology was invented by Oak Ridge researchers Chaitanya Narula PhD, Brian Davison PhD, and Martin Keller PhD, who serve as technical advisors to Vertimass. Vertimass is headquartered at 18565 Jamboree Road, Suite 200, Irvine, California, and securities are offered through Shopoff Securities, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, to accredited investors only pursuant to a confidential private placement memorandum.