August 8, 2024
This summer, Genevieve (Genna) Rump had the unique opportunity to explore the world of decarbonization and renewable fuels as a summer intern at Alder Renewables. Genna, an incoming junior at the University of Colorado Boulder, was tasked with assisting in conducting research, collecting and analyzing data, and operating lab-scale chemical separation processes at the firm’s new lab facility in Colorado.
One of Genna’s initial tasks was to learn about pyrolysis oil and its potential upgrading routes — the core technology that Alder Renewables is advancing for commercialization. Through reviewing published literature and shadowing analytical chemists at Alder Renewables, Genna was immediately immersed in the intricacies of upgrading fast pyrolysis oil into Alder Renewable Crude (ARC). She also got to see up close the unique challenges that accompany benchmarking the performance of a new technology with a suite of analytical chemistry techniques.
Speaking before her summer internship, Genna said, “Participating in lab work and listening to the tech team discuss day-to-day development issues was hugely engaging and helpful for me. I liked that I got to work so closely with the team and be part of testing the company’s renewable fuels.”
The collaborative environment at Alder Renewables was a highlight of Genna’s experience. Team meetings were a space for idea exchange, where the technical team members worked together to find solutions and openly address challenges. Genna had the chance to present her findings and contribute to discussions, which not only helped develop her research skills but also allowed her to see the value of diverse perspectives in driving innovation.
Genna’s enthusiasm extended outside her work during the internship. Throughout the summer, the team engaged in various team-building and culture-focused activities. Genna participated in a team hike to an alpine lake, a competitive volleyball game, and many outdoor lunches with coworkers at the Infinite Labs facility, taking in the beautiful views of the Flatirons.
Genna’s mentors, Camille Amador and Hanna Timberlake, played a crucial role in her development. As supervisors, they provided continuous support, offering guidance and constructive feedback aimed at fostering personal and professional growth. Encouraged to ask questions and think critically, Genna’s approach to research and problem-solving evolved significantly over the summer. As Genna’s experience and confidence grew, she was able to take on more responsibility in the lab. One of the most memorable days of Genna’s internship came toward the end of the summer when she operated the Alder Renewable Crude separations process under the supervision of Alder engineers.
Her summer internship at Alder Renewables helped solidify Genna’s desire to pursue research in her career. Derek Vardon, CTO of Alder Renewables, reflected, “The Alder Renewables team is grateful to have benefitted from Genna’s enthusiasm, curiosity, and impressive work ethic. She was an amazing addition to the team — even if just for a summer. We wish her all the best and will be cheering her on as she embarks on the next step of her professional journey.”
June 13, 2024
Alder Renewables has moved into its own dedicated lab space to accelerate the commercialization of its dual Alder Renewable Crude (ARC) and Alder Pyrolytic Sugars (APS) platform. Alongside private and public technology partners, the new lab provides increased operational capabilities to advance our technology and develop new intellectual property. The lab facility also allows us to continue our current grant work from the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office and launch newly funded projects. In addition, the firm has expanded its technical team: we have added Jessica Brown to our research engineering staff, onboarded Genevieve Rump as a summer research assistant, and promoted Earl Christensen to a newly established research position.
The 4,200 square-foot integrated lab and company office now houses the firm’s laboratory test stand equipment, pre-pilot reactors, and our fully integrated pilot plant, which provides dedicated analytics for rapid data feedback. The lab space was zoned and permitted to allow for barrel-per-day processing of ARC and APS, as well as gallon-per-day hydrotreating to produce sustainable aviation fuel, marine fuel, and biobased chemicals. Lastly, the co-located offices and conference room enable lab and pilot plant operators to readily analyze incoming data at their desks and easily move back and forth to support experimental campaigns.
Through the ongoing technical efforts over the past 30 months, Alder Renewables has amassed a trove of data, insights, and technical tools that are directly informing the next stage of our commercial and technological development. As the firm embarks on this next phase of independent lab work, the focus will be placed squarely on the following three technological objectives:
1. Establish end-to-end lab and pilot capabilities to de-risk scale-up our proprietary platform for converting biomass pyrolysis oils into finished renewable fuels and chemicals.
2. Optimize individual unit operations for ARC and APS to improve product quality, yields, and reduce operational and equipment costs wherever possible.
3. Promote a culture of innovation and the creation of new intellectual property to expand our technology portfolio.
In addition to moving to a dedicated Alder Renewables lab facility, the technical team is also growing. We are delighted to welcome Jessica Brown, who will work on upgrading APS into fuels and chemicals. Jessica joins us from the Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State University where she also successfully defended her doctoral dissertation and was engaged in the development of both plastic upcycling and biomass-based pyrolysis processing. Genevieve Rump also joins the team as a summer research assistant from the nearby University of Colorado Boulder where she is working on her undergraduate degree. Lastly, Earl Christensen has been promoted from his role as Director to Vice President of Research & Development. In this role, Earl will oversee our growing R&D efforts, with a focus on both scale-up and commercial readiness.
Tim Obitts, CEO, Alder Renewables, commented, “The technical team at Alder Renewables deserves a lot of credit. They have worked tirelessly to get us to this phase and it’s inspiring to now see them working side-by-side in our own dedicated lab facility. As we continue progressing towards commercialization, I’m confident that this investment in our people and operations will deliver an immediate impact on our mission to decarbonize key industries in our society.”
According to Derek Vardon, Chief Technology Officer, Alder Renewables, “There’s nobody happier than the technical team now that we are operating within our own dedicated lab in Colorado. This next step is exciting for us, particularly as we become laser focused on accelerating the scale-up and commercialization of our technology as a team. I also want to congratulate Earl on his well-deserved promotion and to formally welcome Jessica to the team. Our bench of technical talent is growing, and it is incredibly energizing to come to a shared space every day where we can ideate, test, and execute together.”
All rights reserved