LS9's core technology platform continues to make strong, consistent strides towards final commercialization. Based on the successful operation of LS9's pilot plant in South San Francisco, California, the company is now ready to prove-out its production technology at the demonstration scale.

Rather than building a demonstration plant from scratch, LS9 has acquired a state-of-the-art production facility. The facility will be retrofitted to accommodate LS9's proprietary one-step fermentation process that converts renewable raw materials into renewable fuels and high-value chemicals. This additional experience will allow LS9 to fully mature its technology and accelerate the company's ability to make renewable fuels that result in an 85% reduction in carbon emissions. The project will also deliver economic benefits by generating jobs.

Location and Feedstocks

The LS9 Renewable Petroleum Facility is located in Okeechobee, Florida. This agricultural area is located approximately 70 miles from West Palm Beach, Florida and has easy access to West Palm Beach, Miami, the Port of Miami, and Port Everglades.

Initially, LS9 will use sugar cane syrup provided by nearby sugar cane mills as its primary feedstock. LS9 will also use the facility to test and optimize the use of cellulosic materials such as wood chips, agricultural residues, and sorghum in the production process.

Existing Equipment

One of the most attractive aspects of this facility is that it contains a number of components required for demonstration scale production, including:

• Fermentors
• Storage tanks
• Operations and maintenance components
• Fabrication capabilities
• Cellulosic biomass processing capabilities

Given the extensive existing capabilities of the facility, relatively minor initial retrofit will be required to modify the plant to meet LS9's needs. Photos of some of this equipment are included below:

Side view, incl. temperature-controlled storage tank	Boiler, piping, and storage tanks
Cooling tower and chilled water	Water treatment system

Project Benefits

Making Fuels: LS9's Renewable Petroleum Facility is designed to enable the production of 50,000-100,000 gallons of UltraClean™ Diesel by mid-2011. This level of production will be the final development step before moving to full-scale commercial operations. Once the demonstration scale testing is completed, LS9 expects to quickly transition the facility into commercial production. LS9 UltraClean Diesel meets or exceeds American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for on-road use in the United States.

Reducing Carbon: LS9 will use sugar cane syrup to produce a diesel replacement product that reduces carbon emissions by 85%, and will use the Renewable Petroleum Facility to scale the production process to commercial levels. The facility will also provide LS9 with the capabilities to test and integrate cellulosic materials into the production process which will lead to even greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Creating Jobs: LS9 anticipates 15-20 operations jobs will be created throughout the demonstration period of the project alone. The project is also expected to generate approximately 30-50 construction jobs over the six month retrofit period, as well as preserving job opportunities in the Okeechobee region through the company's use of local suppliers and contractors.