The patented AVAP® technology produces exceptionally pure, high-yield, low-cost lignocellulosic sugars from a wide variety of biomass, for conversion into biochemicals like butanol, butanediol (BDO), succinic acid and lactic acid and also biofuels, including for aircraft. The AVAP® process uses commodity SO2 and ethanol to separate the biomass into separate streams of cellulosic sugars, hemicellulosic and native sugars, and reactive lignin. The process uses conventional industrial equipment and efficiently recycles the chemicals from the SO2 fraction and ethanol through a closed circuit.

The AVAP® process is demonstrated at GranBio Technologies Biorefinery in Thomaston, Georgia, where a wide range of biomasses have been converted into lignocellulosic sugars, fuels and chemicals, including wood and softwood chips, urban wood waste, corn waste, oil palm empty fruit bunches, sugar cane straw and bagasse and tobacco stalks.