9 questions with Virent’s Research Manager Dana Hatch

Virent Research Manager Dana Hatch at the Earth Day event in Findlay, Ohio, hosted by Marathon Petroleum.

From a young age, Dana Hatch was captivated by science, driven by her passion for challenges and making a difference. Early in her career, that passion often meant she was one of the few women in her field, but that neither bothered nor distracted her from her goals.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin—Oshkosh, she moved to Madison to start her career. She joined Virent Inc., now a wholly owned subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC). Despite initial hesitation, the small start-up’s big dreams were a challenge she couldn’t resist.

In 2024, Hatch celebrated her 17^th year working at Virent. We asked the research manager nine questions about her journey and future.

 Dana Hatch explaining Virent’s BioForming® process at the Earth Day event in Findlay, Ohio, hosted by Marathon Petroleum.

What do you do at Virent?

I began my journey at Virent as an Analytical Chemist and have progressively taken on more leadership roles. I now lead the Research and Analytical teams. Initially, my responsibilities included sample analysis, method development, experiment data review, training, and instrument installation and repair. I was also involved in systems development, including Laboratory Information Management System, data organization, lab procedures and chemical hygiene documentation. As the Chemical Hygiene Officer for more than 10 years, I played a crucial role in maintaining safety standards.

In 2012, I transitioned into a people management role, starting with two direct reports and eventually overseeing a team of 26. My management responsibilities grew from being an assistant manager in Analytical to becoming the manager in 2015. By 2017, I was managing the Research team and by 2018, I was over the Research Lab Operations. My role encompasses goal setting, reviews, budgets, space planning, personnel development, resource planning and communication with lab teams and senior management.

Beyond my supervisory roles, I manage research lab projects, support internal Culture and Values teams, contribute to ASTM International activities, and participate in the Environmental, Health, Safety and Security Committee. Recently, I have been focusing on strategic initiatives for the Research & Development team, further contributing to Virent’s growth and innovation.

Dana Hatch at the 2022 IChemE Global Awards in Manchester, England. Virent, Inc., was selected as a finalist in two categories of the IChemE Global Awards. (L-R) Rauf Gearing (JM), Iain Gilmore (JM), Phil Hughs (JM), Kevin Gwilliam (JM), Andrew Held (Virent), Dave Kettner (Virent), Dana Hatch (Virent), Bob Rozmiarek (Virent), Edgar Steenwinkel (Virent)and Ian Campbell (JM).

What attracted you to the company?

I’ve always been interested in energy, particularly in renewable energy. During my college years, I worked on solar cells, or more commonly known as solar panels, which use sunlight to produce electricity. Virent was attractive for its big ideas and creative minds wanting to make a real difference in the world. There was excitement in the air even during the interview process, and it’s still a feeling I get every day I come to work.

What would you say has been one of the biggest challenges in your career?

It can be difficult to continue to take risks when we run into challenges, be it political, economic or social influence on the biofuels industry. It has been daunting at times to never feel like we’ve made it over the finish line. At times like these, I fall back on our many wins and continued improvements in our technology platforms that will someday go to market. It’s not easy to be first.

What has kept you motivated all these years to see your passion through?

One of the things that really drives me is being part of a company that’s all about pushing boundaries, whether it’s through our technology or how we tackle challenges as a team. And let me tell you, the team itself? They’re my fuel. They’ve been by my side through thick and thin, especially during those early days when Virent was still figuring things out. What’s even cooler is that I’ve forged some real friendships along the way, and it’s pretty sweet that I get to work alongside some of the same people I started with. Watching us grow and achieve together—that’s what it’s all about for me.

What is the most exciting part of your role and watching a company like Virent grow?

At Virent, there are two aspects that have been truly remarkable to witness as the company has grown. First and foremost, it’s all about the people. Spending most of my career here, I’ve seen Virent become an incredible incubator for talent, not just for myself but for everyone I’ve had the pleasure of working with, past and present.

It’s incredible to watch individuals within the company expand their skill sets and grow in confidence, ultimately stepping up to lead Virent into the future. Over the last 20 years, Virent has not only grown but has also been part of the broader development of renewable energy technologies. It’s been thrilling to witness the industry evolve and mature. Looking ahead, I envision a future where collaboration drives us toward sustainable energy solutions, ensuring we meet the energy and product needs of humanity responsibly.

Dana Hatch posing with “Darwin the Dinosaur,” a birthday gift from her coworkers that has since become Virent’s unofficial mascot. Employees even held a contest to name the dinosaur, and Darwin was the winning choice.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

The possibilities at Virent seem endless. I’m excited about expanding to multiple locations where we can further develop our innovative technologies together.

When I graduated college, I was determined not to stick with one company forever, because I wanted to explore different opportunities. Now after 17 years at Virent, I’m grateful for the variety of experiences I’ve had here.

I believe there’s still a lot of change and growth ahead, bringing even more opportunities our way. If I find myself looking at retirement in 10 years, and I’ve spent my whole career at Virent, I’ll consider it a major success.

What would you tell young girls considering, or maybe not considering, a career in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)?

When I talk to girls about STEM, I want them to see it as just another cool avenue to explore, not something special or exclusive. Growing up, I heard too much about being good at this for a girl, and it never sat right with me. My hope is that one day having more women in STEM careers won’t be seen as extraordinary but simply be the norm.

You’ve probably heard the saying “do what you love, and you won’t work a day in your life.” While it might be cliché, there’s some truth to it. When I share my journey with these girls, I want them to walk away knowing they’re fully capable of pursuing their passions, no matter the obstacles they face along the way.

What do you enjoy outside of work?

I’m a huge outdoor enthusiast, so you’ll often find me hiking, camping, kayaking, skiing or backpacking whenever I’m not at work. A couple of years ago, I tackled my first high-altitude hike and instantly fell in love with the mountains. While growing up in the Midwest, the Great Lakes always held a special place in my heart. But there’s just something about the mountains that captivates me.

One of my husband’s and my favorite getaway spots is Acadia National Park in Maine. Even though it’s not quite the towering mountains, the rolling hills that meet the Atlantic Ocean create a stunning panorama that’s truly breathtaking.

I’m also passionate about traveling. I’ve set myself a goal to visit all 50 state capitals, and I’m making steady progress. I recently checked Salt Lake City off my list, which put me over a third of the way toward my goal.

When I’m not soaking in the great outdoors, you can probably find me with my nose buried in a book. I’m a big advocate for our local library system and have been actively involved in volunteering on various committees for the past few years. Currently, I’m lending my support to a project aimed at building Madison’s first new library in over two decades. It’s been an incredibly fulfilling experience to give back to an institution that has enriched my life in so many ways.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I’m a relatively private person, so I’m guessing there’s a lot that people don’t know about me. I think my artistic side is not commonly known to most people. While I’ve loved science my whole life, I’ve also loved music and the arts for as long as I can remember. It’s not necessarily a hidden talent, but a hidden desire to someday follow more artistic pursuits. Years ago, I considered changing my career path to interior design, but I couldn’t pull myself away from the innovative ideas and work we were finally seeing come to life at Virent.

Dana Hatch and her husband during one of their trips to Colorado.

Megan Holler at The River Food Pantry.

Why I give: Q&A with Megan Holler

Name: Megan Holler

Position: Research Technician

Location: Madison, Wisconsin

Organizations supported: The River Food Pantry and Bikes for Kids Wisconsin

How do you support these organizations?

I have volunteered time and given money to both organizations. Originally, I helped The River Food Pantry get its first Forest Membership from Sustain Dane to help with sustainability efforts. In addition, I purchased a refurbished bike at Bike for Kids Wisconsin, a partner organization of The River, which helped support two kids getting a full bike package.

Bikes for Kids Wisconsin volunteers collect bikes on donation drive day.

At The River, I volunteered in the kitchen prepping meals for Family At-Home Meals (FAM), a curbside meal program during the week. For its Pantry Express program, I have engaged in distributing any extra FAM meals and groceries, which occurs every other Saturday. I enjoy interacting with each client and asking how their day is going. I also volunteer with the Munch Mobile Meals program, The River’s mobile meal program that delivers free, healthy meals to children and adults in low-income neighborhoods in Madison. The kids always look forward to seeing the Munch truck. This work helps bridge the gap between when school lunch is unavailable on weekends and during school breaks. Lastly, participating in Curbside Breakfast with the Bunny program, where “everybunny” is invited to enjoy a full Easter meal, including pancakes, eggs, ham, fruit, milk, and juice for the whole family. It’s an annual drive-thru event where volunteers wear bunny ears when handing out the meals. The kids’ faces are all smiles at this event, which makes it more than worth it.

Megan Holler with the refurbished bike she purchased to support Bikes for Kids Wisconsin.

At Bikes for Kids Wisconsin, I collected bikes in the fall with fellow volunteers. Volunteers refurbished them for distribution to kids in the spring. In addition, I participated in and helped organize the first South Side Slow Roll, which had 280 attendees. At the event, I helped to run the Virent tent that made smoothies for the participants on the blender bike. This group bike ride is inclusive and designed for those who have never participated in a large group ride. The fun and supportive community event was to foster a love of bicycling for those new to it and introduce them to the Dane County bike trails.

What is your favorite part about volunteering for these organizations?

I like volunteering at both organizations because they are collaboration partners. The River is a Bike Distribution Partner for Bikes for Kids Wisconsin and helps determine who receives the bikes for free within the community, because they see who is experiencing the most need. I love the collaboration between nonprofits, since it strengthens the community by providing multiple services from different angles within the community. The people I have gotten to work with are wonderful, friendly and enthusiastic about their work. They make a real difference in people’s lives by addressing food insecurity and transportation needs through equity and sustainability.

I also enjoy working with colleagues to help the community. It is nice to get to know my colleagues outside of work while making an impact on the community through volunteering.

How are these organizations making a difference in your community?

Julie Wiedmeyer (right), former Director of Development of The River Food Pantry, at Curbside Breakfast with Megan Holler (right) at the Bunny event in 2021.

Both organizations help better people’s lives through physical, emotional, mental, financial and economic well-being. I love how both organizations make everyone feel welcomed, empowered, encouraged, important and respected. The River Food Pantry improves community health by providing food to help with nutrition as a redistribution organization. Bikes for Kids Wisconsin provides transportation access for all people.

Both organizations are grounded in sustainability. The River works to create a sustainable food system. It expands access while reducing food waste. Bikes for Kids Wisconsin does this by refurbishing bikes into affordable means of everyday transportation, which also prevents used bikes from going to landfills. It has saved 72,000 pounds of scrap metal so far.

Jamie Sullivan (left) and Megan Holler (right) volunteering at the first South Side Slow Roll to run the blender bikes for Bikes for Kids Wisconsin.

Virent employees team up with nonprofit to preserve local marsh, benefit Madison-area lakes

• Virent employee volunteers recently took part in a cleanup effort at Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park in Madison, Wisconsin, to remove invasive plant life.
• The volunteer effort, in partnership with Clean Lakes Alliance, is part of a larger effort by the nonprofit to improve the water quality of area lakes, streams and wetlands.
• Virent, a 2023 sponsor of the organization, has taken part in a variety of fundraising events throughout the year to support Clean Lakes Alliance.

Employees from Virent recently teamed up with Clean Lakes Alliance, a nonprofit devoted to improving water quality of the lakes, streams and wetlands of the Yahara River Watershed in Madison, Wisconsin. Virent, Clean Lakes Alliance and the City of Madison worked together to remove invasive plant life from the marshland area of the Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park North. The area is critical to the health and vitality of the much larger watershed.

“On behalf of Clean Lakes Alliance, thank you for volunteering with us at Cherokee Marsh,” said Clean Lake Alliance’s Executive Director & Founder James Tye. “The City of Madison was wowed by how much your team accomplished.”

Virent employee Mariana Gama helps remove invasive plant life from area marshland.

Clean Lake Alliance was formed in 2010 and has worked to bring the local business community together to help restore and protect the robust family of lakes and waterways that provide both a picturesque and purposeful backdrop to Wisconsin’s capital and home to nearly one million people. Virent is a 2023 Lake Partner of the nonprofit organization.

“Our lakes and area waterways are such a big part of our way of life here in Madison,” said Bob Rozmiarek, Virent’s VP of Strategy & Business Development, who also sits on

Virent employees Shelly Norris, Mariana Gama and Meg Holler take part in cleanup effort at Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park in Madison.

Clean Lake Alliance’s Community Board. “We are proud to sponsor this organization and its mission to improve the local water quality, while at the same time, our overall quality of life here in Madison.”

The Yahara River is part of the critical watershed in the greater Madison area.

Throughout the year, employees from Virent have taken part in a variety of fundraising events in support of Clean Lake Alliance, including a golf tournament in September.

Flight100: Virent’s bio-based fuel makes aviation history again

For a second week in a row, Virent’s plant-based BioForm® Synthesized Aromatic Kerosene (SAK) made aviation history, helping to power Virgin Atlantic’s Flight100, the world’s first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) transatlantic flight by a commercial airline.

The historic flight took off from London-Heathrow Tuesday, Nov. 28, successfully landing approximately eight hours later at New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport. Virent’s President & General Counsel Dave Kettner was on board the groundbreaking flight.

Dave Kettner, President & General Counsel at Virent and Bob Rozmiarek, Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at Virent, both were on board Flight100, the historic transatlantic flight running on only Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

A subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC), Virent used its BioForming® process to produce the SAK that made the 100% SAF possible as a “drop-in” replacement for conventional jet fuel.

“This is an exciting time for the aviation industry, and Virent is proud that its BioForm® SAK can play such a prominent role in enabling 100% drop-in sustainable aviation fuel,” said Dave Kettner, president and general counsel of Virent. “By eliminating the need to blend with traditional jet fuel, our bio-based aromatics bring sustainable air travel closer not just by reducing carbon emissions, but also reducing particulate matter emissions and enhancing fuel efficiency.”

Development Bob Rozmiarek (right) pose for a photo with two flight attendants prior to the historic Virgin Atlantic flight.

Bob Rozmiarek, Virent’s vice president of Strategy and Business Development, was also on the flight. “Having worked with the many people across various industries who collaborated on this project for so long, I know how much expertise and ingenuity went into making this historic flight possible,” Rozmiarek said.

“This is the very first flight in a commercial airliner and using only SAF, proving that SAF can be used in today’s aircraft and fueling infrastructure without any changes,” Kettner added. “Congratulations to everyone at Virent and the teams from Virgin, Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Air bp, and many others who came together to make this happen.”

Dave Kettner & Bob Rozmiarek prepare to board Flight100.

Tuesday’s flight came just one week after another aviation first, when Virent’s SAK helped power an Emirates Airline demonstration flight in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the first such flight of an Airbus 380 in the Middle East and North Africa to fuel one of its engines with 100% SAF.

Dana Hatch, Laboratory Supervisor at Virent, Edgar Steenwinkel, Virent’s Senior VP of Technology, at the Emirates Airline demonstration flight a week earlier on Nov. 22, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Emirates Airline demonstration flight was the first such flight of an Airbus 380 in the Middle East and North Africa to fuel one of its engines with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Virent and Marathon Petroleum partner to fill food pantry’s emergency food lockers for a year

(L to R) Helen Osborn-Senatus, Rhonda Adams, Tony Morton, Zach Leonard, Megan Holler, Bob Rozmiarek, and Ryan Holley in front of the Food NOW lockers that provide food for after-hours immediate needs supported by Virent and MPC.

• Virent and Marathon Petroleum recently teamed up to present The River Food Pantry in Madison, Wisconsin, with a grant supporting its new emergency food locker program.
• The pantry, which serves thousands of people annually, recently installed 10 lockers outside its location, providing 24-hour access to those needing food assistance.
• The grant will not only fill the lockers with food for a full year but will also help the nonprofit with program costs related to staffing and signage.

Shortly after The River Food Pantry in Madison, Wisconsin, installed its new outdoor food lockers, Virent, along with its parent company Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC), announced a grant to help fill the lockers with food for a full year.

The grant for $7,000 was presented to The River shortly after the new food locker program, called Food NOW (Nights or Weekends), launched. Two University of Wisconsin students, Akshay Kalra and Samantha Angelina, created the project as part of the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship Program.

“We are so grateful to Akshay, Samantha and the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship Program for helping us provide this highly requested service,” said Rhonda Adams, Executive Director of The River, when the lockers were first announced to the public.

Zach Leonard, Operations Project Lead, describing all the shelf stable items stocked in each food locker to Megan Holler, Rhona Adams, Monica Wahlberg, Ryan Holley, Tony Morton and Bob Rozmiarek.

Food NOW was designed to meet a community-identified need for an after-hours food distribution system in Madison.

“We know that our neighbors facing food insecurity cannot always visit during our distribution hours. By providing a free 24/7 emergency food supply, Food NOW will increase convenience for community members to access enough food to get through the night or weekend until we are open again,” Adams said. “We are very grateful to community partners like Virent and Marathon for supporting Food NOW, while at the same time supporting The River’s overall mission of building a stronger community.”

In addition to filling the emergency lockers for a full year, The River said the grant dollars will also help cover program costs related to staffing and signage.

“We are proud to work with The River, a wonderful organization which continues to seek new and innovative ways to meet the needs of our community,” said Virent’s Bob Rozmiarek, Vice President of Strategy & Business Development. “Virent is also working to build a stronger future through innovation with our renewable chemical and fuels technology.”

As the busiest food pantry in South Central Wisconsin, The River serves over 2,500 people facing food insecurity each week, including adults, seniors, veterans, those experiencing homelessness, and children.

Tony Morton opening a food locker after scanning the QR code that sends him a unique combination passcode to his cell phone that opened one of the lockers.

Virent’s BioForm^® SAK set to empower another aviation industry first

Virent’s BioForm® synthesized aromatic kerosene played a key role in a recent jet engine ground test of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in preparation for the first-ever transatlantic flight powered by 100% SAF. The ground test was conducted on a Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine, the same type of engine that will power a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 from London’s Heathrow Airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy International later this year.

SAF – made from used cooking oil or other plant-based oil feedstocks – typically has to be blended with petroleum products because SAF lacks a component called “aromatics,” which are required to meet today’s jet fuel specifications. Virent’s sugars-to-aromatics (S2A) technology produces synthesized aromatic kerosene (SAK) from renewable plant sugars to provide aromatics that are cleaner-burning and more efficient than those in petroleum fuel, enabling 100% SAF without the need for petroleum blending.

For the Virgin Atlantic transatlantic flight, Air bp will provide the bulk of the SAF – the 88% consisting of the paraffinic compounds – while Virent’s SAK will make up the remaining 12%.

“With Virent’s plant-based SAK providing the aromatics, this test showed that 100% drop-in renewable fuel is cleaner burning and will work seamlessly in today’s commercial airline engines,” said Dave Kettner, president and general counsel of Virent. “With the support of our parent company Marathon Petroleum Corporation and our technology partner Johnson Matthey, we are making great strides in sustainable fuels.”

Getting the 100% SAF transatlantic flight off the runway and into the skies requires cross-industry collaboration and dedicated project teams working on the research, testing and operations. The effort is being undertaken in the United Kingdom (UK) by a consortium led by Virgin Atlantic, jointly funded by the UK Department for Transport, and including Rolls Royce, Boeing, University of Sheffield, Imperial College London, and the Rocky Mountain Institute. Virent has been coordinating closely with the consortium as planning progresses toward the milestone flight.

“This kind of collaboration isn’t new to Virent, and in fact I’d say cross-industry collaboration has become one of our core competencies,” said Kettner. “Just in the SAF space alone, we have been working domestically, internationally, and with a variety of airlines and equipment manufacturers to help demonstrate that – with our BioForm SAK – 100% drop-in SAF works with today’s airline fleet and requires no modifications to engines or fueling infrastructure.”

In addition, to July’s jet engine ground test, some of Virent’s recent successful collaborations in sustainable aviation include:

• 2023: Virent’s BioForm SAK made the 100% SAF possible for a Bell Helicopter demonstration flight, making the Bell 505 the first-ever single engine aircraft to fly using 100% SAF.
• 2023: Virent’s SAK helped power an Emirates Airline demonstration flight, the first in the Middle East and North Africa to use 100% SAF in one engine and traditional jet fuel in the other.
• 2022: Virent’s BioForm® SAK made 100% SAF possible for the first original equipment manufacturer test flight of an ultralong-range business jet by Rolls Royce and Gulfstream.
• 2021: Virent contributed to an aviation industry first with its BioForm SAK, as United Airlines flew an aircraft full of passengers using 100% SAF in one engine and traditional jet fuel in the other.

“We’re honored to collaborate with Virgin Atlantic, Rolls-Royce and Air bp as these forward-looking companies lead the way in sustainable aviation,” said Kettner. “Virent shares their commitment to finding sustainable ways to fly, and we’re excited about the pivotal role our BioForm SAK will play in this milestone transatlantic flight.”

Virent’s Eagle demonstration plant located in Madison, Wisconsin

Madison schools increase recycling and reduce food waste

• Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin and the nonprofit organization Sustain Dane are working together to turn food waste into usable compost.
• A community investment grant from Virent funded the school program that is educating students about recycling and sustainability.
• The program has already diverted 550 pounds of food waste from the landfill and reached more than 2,600 students at five schools in the district.

MADISON, Wisconsin, May 22, 2023 – Students at an elementary school in Madison, Wisconsin, are turning their lunch time food scraps into compost. Leaders say they have already diverted 550 pounds of foodwaste from the landfill. The food waste reduction program is helping students and staff at Madison Metropolitan School District cut food waste and increase sustainability.

Sustain Dane, a nonprofit organization focused on sustainability and wellbeing in Dane County, Wisconsin, used a $20,000 grant from Virent to launch the innovative program, and they are already seeing progress.

“MMSD is moving forward with many projects to lessen environmental impact and educate and inspire staff and students through responsible practices,” said Josh Perkins, Director of Food and Nutrition at Madison Metropolitan School District. “This work, supporting mealtime composting and recycling in schools, will play an important part, and we are excited to see it unfold and expand in the district.”

The program empowers students, staff and families to be active stewards of the environment through education and engagement. Beginning during the 2021-2022 school year, Sustain Dane worked with five elementary schools to explore sustainability solutions in the classroom and cafeteria. Sustain Dane used the funding from Virent to start recycling milk cartons and conduct food waste audits, which includes teaching students how to sort food into buckets that separate liquid, cartons and food waste from trash and then weighing the buckets. Since the project started, Sustain Dane’s waste audits and education on recycling and food waste reduction have reached more than 2,600 students from five schools in the district.

Promising pilot at Shorewood

In November 2022, Shorewood Elementary was one of the first schools in the program to launch a composting program and since then has diverted over 550 pounds of food waste from the landfill. The food waste goes to Green Box Compost, a local composting service that uses an in-vessel aerobic composting system to turn food scraps into fertile compost. Piloting this system at Shorewood has proven that composting pick up at a large elementary school is feasible.

“This pilot program for school composting is seen as a model and resource for other area elementary schools,” said Claire Oleksiak, Executive Director at Sustain Dane. “We have started discussions with other schools with higher volumes of food waste and hope to launch composting at another school by the end of this school year.”

To help grow the programs, student leaders created intercom announcements for their school about the launch of composting. They were inspired to start a Green Team at school to share why it’s important to be mindful of recycling and food waste and how everyone can be part of the solution for a greener environment.

“This is something very important because we are one of two schools that get this honor. If we do well, other schools will get to compost too.” said one of the student leaders. “The compost will supply nutrients for other plants to grow. Thanks for doing your part to compost leftover food.”

Virent takes world stage as finalist for global award

• Virent, Inc., was selected as a finalist in two categories of the IChemE Global Awards for its BioForming® sugars-to-aromatics (SA2) technology.
• Virent’s selection as a finalist by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) placed them on the shortlist of companies featuring projects from across 15 countries.
• Partnering with Johnson Matthey to commercialize the BioForming® S2A technology, Virent was nominated in both the Innovative Product and Team Award Categories.

MADISON, Wisconsin, Feb. 8, 2023 – Leaders from Virent, Inc., recently traveled to London as finalists for the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) 2022 Global Awards.

Part of an impressive list of nominees representing more than a dozen countries worldwide, it was Virent’s BioForming® technology and partnership with Johnson Matthey (JM) that caught the eye of IChemE, an internationally known body of chemical, biochemical and process engineers based in the United Kingdom and recognized for its century-long work to advance the field of chemical engineering for the benefit of society.

(L-R) Rauf Gearing (JM), Iain Gilmore (JM), Phil Hughs (JM), Kevin Gwilliam (JM), Andrew Held (Virent), Dave Kettner (Virent), Dana Hatch (Virent), Bob Rozmiarek (Virent), Edgar Steenwinkel (Virent) and Ian Campbell (JM), at the 2022 IChemE Global Awards in London, England

“Just making the shortlist of finalists is something we’re very proud of at Virent,” said the company’s President and General Counsel Dave Kettner. “It is clear the work being done by our incredibly talented team at Virent is being recognized on an international stage.”

Nominated in both the Innovative Product and Team Award Categories, Virent has been partnering with JM to commercialize Virent’s BioForming® sugars-to-aromatics (S2A) technology, a process that converts widely available, plant-based sugars into fuels and chemicals that are 100% renewable. Working alongside MPC, this successful collaboration has put Virent and JM in a position to license the BioForming S2A technology to the global renewables market.

“Virent and our BioForming S2A technology has the potential to help meet the needs of today while providing opportunities to further grow in an energy-diverse future,” Kettner added.

Virent was also named to the 2022 list of Top 50 Hottest Projects in Advanced Bioeconomy in the summer of 2022 by biofuels publication The Digest, for its innovation and achievements in biobased fuels, chemicals and materials by emerging companies.

Virent bio-based fuel used in milestone demonstration flight powered with 100% sustainable aviation fuel

MADISON, Wisconsin, Jan. 30, 2023, Virent’s plant-based synthesized aromatic kerosene today helped power an Emirates Airline demonstration flight, the first in the Middle East and North Africa to use 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in one engine and traditional jet fuel in the other. Virent, a Marathon Petroleum Corp. subsidiary, used its BioForming® process to produce the synthesized aromatic kerosene (SAK), a critical component that made the 100% SAF possible.

“Virent’s technology converts widely available, plant-based sugars into the compounds that make it possible to fuel a jet engine without the need to blend SAF with traditional jet fuel,” said Dave Kettner, President and General Counsel of Virent, Inc. “Along with Marathon Petroleum Corporation, we are committed to meeting today’s energy needs while investing in an energy diverse future, and today’s flight is a great example of this commitment. We’re excited about this opportunity to work with our forward-thinking colleagues at Emirates, GE Aerospace, Boeing, Honeywell and Neste as we demonstrate that we can power sustainable aviation without modifying today’s engines or the infrastructure that serves the airline industry.”

Today’s SAF – typically made from used cooking oil or other plant-based oil feedstocks – has to be blended with petroleum products because SAF lacks a component called “aromatics,” which is required to meet today’s jet fuel specifications. Virent’s SAK, made from renewable plant sugars, provides those aromatics.

Because Virent’s SAK is made from plant-based sugars as feedstocks, the carbon impact on a lifecycle basis is less than that of petroleum-based fuels. Virent is targeting greater than 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for SAK from a commercial project, with the potential to achieve net zero emissions using options such as renewable electricity, renewable natural gas and carbon capture and sequestration in the production of SAK. Virent has also developed data from engine testing that shows an SAF blend using its SAK is cleaner burning and has lower particulate matter emissions than conventional jet fuels.

“We share Emirates Airline’s goals of minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and scaling up the supply chain for SAF,” said Kettner. “Because SAF is a relatively new fuel technology, it’s critical that we collaborate on flights like this to bring SAF into more widespread use.”

This latest use of Virent’s technology to help power jet engines with 100% SAF comes after successful demonstration flights with United Airlines in December 2021 and Gulfstream in December 2022.