1,000-hour continuous industrial pilot demonstrates sustained operation and supports development of its first full-scale commercial project

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Alder Renewables today announced that its integrated industrial pilot has surpassed 1,000 hours of continuous operation, demonstrating sustained production of on-spec Alder Renewable Crude (ARC) from commercially produced woody biomass pyrolysis oil. The campaign demonstrated that Alder’s integrated process can operate continuously while maintaining consistent product quality. The resulting operating data are now being used to support larger-scale equipment design and commercial project development.

Alder is commercializing a new pathway for turning low-value forest residues into higher-value energy and industrial products. Alder’s modular technology is designed to create new, higher-value markets for residues from forest management and wood processing, while strengthening supply chains and supporting more productive use of these resources.

Alder’s low-temperature process converts woody biomass pyrolysis oil into a transportable biocrude with low electricity demand and without requiring hydrogen at the biomass processing site. The approach is designed to connect forestry regions with existing infrastructure and downstream markets.

“We are showing that low-value forest residues can become high-value resources for refining into fuels, chemicals, and other industrial products,” said Derek Vardon, CEO of Alder Renewables. “With sustained operation now demonstrated, we are moving into customer qualification, scale-up engineering, and commercial project development.”

From industrial pilot validation to first commercial project

Long-duration integrated operation provides the data needed to translate pilot performance into larger-scale equipment design and commercial project requirements. The campaign demonstrated sustained operation of Alder’s integrated process under continuous operating conditions while repeatedly producing on-spec ARC. Alder is now using the campaign results to refine equipment design, process controls and operating parameters for scale-up. 

Commercial demand and strategic support

Alder’s commercialization efforts are supported by offtake commitments and strategic relationships across the aviation, refining, technology and public sectors. The company has previously announced approximately 2.5 billion gallons of long-term SAF offtake with United Airlines and Avfuel. Alder also receives strategic support from Boeing and the U.S. Department of Energy and collaborates with AE Bioénergie Côte-Nord, owner and operator of the largest woody biomass pyrolysis plant in North America.

Together, these relationships provide customer demand, technical collaboration, industrial capabilities, and non-dilutive support as Alder advances its first full-scale commercial project. Alder’s platform also creates multiple high-value outlets across fuels, chemicals, and advanced carbon materials, expanding potential markets for woody biomass while using industrial infrastructure already in place.

Commercial project development

Alder has completed initial engineering for its modular commercial unit, with data from its 1,000-hour pilot campaign supporting scale-up engineering, customer qualification, and commercial project development.

Through ARC-Bio, a Boeing supported joint venture with AE Bioénergie Côte-Nord, Alder and its partners are building commercial capabilities across the value chain, from forestry and biomass supply through pyrolysis, ARC production, and downstream markets. ARC-Bio is evaluating commercial opportunities, with a focus on forestry regions offering abundant residual biomass and existing industrial infrastructure.

Alder’s planned market demonstration unit will produce larger product volumes for customer qualification while generating additional operating data to support commercial engineering and investment decisions. Alder is also pursuing federal and strategic funding opportunities to support demonstration, customer qualification, and commercial deployment.

Learn more about Alder’s 1,000-hour milestone and view the pilot video at Alder News. Follow Alder on LinkedIn.

About Alder Renewables

Alder Renewables converts wood-derived pyrolysis oil into refinery-ready biocrude for fuels, chemicals, and advanced carbon materials. Its low-temperature process is designed for modular deployment near biomass resources and integration with existing industrial infrastructure.

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SOURCE Alder Renewables