Verenium Corporation has announced that its demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Jennings, Louisiana has entered the “startup” phase.

According to officials, the site has been electronically energized and the turnover of individual systems to start-up and operating teams has begun so that the functional capabilities of each system can be tested. In total, more than forty separate systems will be evaluated over approximately the next three months.

Verenium CEO Carlos Riva said in a statement, “The next several months will be critical in terms of scaling our process and technology and garnering the insights needed to begin construction on our first commercial facility — which will truly be a landmark for the emerging next-generation biofuels industry.”