After years of hearing about the future of ethanol and Project LIBERTY, the first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant located in Emmetsburg, Iowa using corn stover and corn cobs is officially open for business and in production. The POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels project is a joint venture between POET and Royal DSM.
Project LIBERTY, was formally opened in the presence of His Majesty Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Deputy Under Secretary Michael Knotek of the Department of Energy, Governor Terry Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa, other dignitaries and thousands of guests.
“Some have called cellulosic ethanol a ‘fantasy fuel,’ but today it becomes a reality,” said Jeff Broin, POET Founder and Executive Chairman. “With access now to new sources for energy, Project LIBERTY can be the first step in transforming our economy, our environment and our national security.”
The cellulosic ethanol facility converts baled corn cobs, leaves, husk and stalk into renewable fuel. The plant has now officially started up, processing its first batch of biomass into cellulosic ethanol and is moving forward toward continuous operation. At full capacity, it will convert 770 tons of biomass per day to produce ethanol at a rate of 20 million gallons per year, later ramping up to 25 million gallons per year.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said during the event, “The Project LIBERTY opening demonstrates that America is ready for advanced renewable energy production. USDA invested to help bring this facility online because it is boosting America’s energy independence, cutting carbon pollution, and holds great promise for our domestic agriculture and energy industries. This facility has already created local jobs and opportunities for farmers, and it will continue to spur local investment and open the door for new technology and job growth across rural America. I congratulate the POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels team on their grand opening and for all they have done and the opportunities they will continue to create for farmers and rural communities.”
POET-DSM believes the biorefinery marks a huge step forward in the wider adoption of biofuels, both in North America and elsewhere. It is also a victory for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which prompted increased investment into advanced biofuels that accelerated development of this new technology. The RFS is a critical tool in moving the U.S. beyond 10 percent ethanol use to allow this new technology to expand to other parts of the country.
Feike Sijbesma, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Managing Board of Royal DSM said, “This is an historical day in the development of plant-residue-based cellulosic ethanol as a viable, commercially attractive alternative to gasoline as we are moving from the fossil-age to the (bio-)renewable-age. For DSM this is a strategic investment, applying our proprietary technology to convert agricultural residue on a commercial scale, allowing it to be replicated at other facilities globally as we are ramping up our cellulosic ethanol licensing business.”
“We have been relentless supporters of the biofuels industry and know that the success of biofuels is a result of the efforts by hard-working farmers, the hardworking Iowans at the biofuels facilities and the communities that support them,” added Iowa Governor Terry Branstad. “In Iowa, more than 82,000 good-paying and important careers are supported by the biofuels industry. We want to work with companies like POET-DSM, and others, to sustain and grow more careers here at home.”
Moving forward, POET-DSM plans to license its proprietary cocktail of enzymes and yeast to other cellulosic ethanol plants around the world. Assuming continued support from the RFS program and depending on the adoption rate of cellulosic ethanol both in and outside the United States, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC has the potential to achieve net sales of about $250 million from bio-ethanol and license income by 2020 with EBITDA margins clearly above average.