Two Canadian companies, SunOpta Inc. and GreenField Ethanol Inc. have signed a joint venture agreement to develop and implement commercial scale processes for the production of cellulosic ethanol from wood chips, including the planned establishment of one or more commercial scale plants employing the new process. The first plant is planned to produce 10 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per …
New York Invests in Cellulosic Demo Plant
Mascoma Corporation of Cambridge, Mass. has received a $14.8 million award from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build and operate a biomass-to-ethanol demonstration plant in Rochester, New York. The project will focus on demonstrating “cellulose to ethanol” technology and industrial processes. International Paper Co., Cornell …
Cellulosic Ethanol Research Moving Forward
Dyadic International, Inc. of Florida and Abengoa Bioenergy recently entered into a three-year research agreement to commercially develop a cost-effective enzyme production system for cellulosic ethanol. Abengoa Bioenergy is considered to be the second largest ethanol producer in the world with production facilities located in Europe and the USA. Dyadic pioneered the stone-free method used to make “stone-washed” blue jeans …
Project Golden Switchgrass
A University of Rhode Island plant geneticist has launched “Project Golden Switchgrass” to develop “the variety of enhanced switchgrass that everyone needs” as an alternative crop to produce ethanol. According to a URI release, Albert Kausch is a world leader in developing transgenic grasses, having spent 20 years genetically modifying turf grasses, rice and corn. He is also an expert …
Forestry Fuel Plants Planned for Northeast
Converting wood chips and other forestry and agricultural biomass to ethanol is the goal of an agreement between a Connecticut energy company and a Massachusettes cellulosic technology firm. According to a news release, Tamarack Energy, Inc. and Mascoma Corporation “will collaborate on the joint development of cellulosic ethanol facilities in New York, as well as follow-on opportunities in Pennsylvania and …
High on Switch Grass
Switch grass has gone from a relatively unknown prairie grass a year ago to the rising star of the ethanol industry since being featured in the President’s State of the Union address in January. The Chicago Tribune reports on the growing interest in the grass for ethanol production. Agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland Co., the world’s largest producer of ethanol …
Biomass Potential
As cellulosic ethanol looms on the horizon with the goal of producing ethanol from biomass, the questions are how much biomass is there and how much will it cost to convert to ethanol? Nathan Danielson of Biocognito addresses those questions in a recent Ethanol Technical Update for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC). Danielson cites a Department of Energy …
Another Cellulosic Partner for Broin
In its quest to make cellulosic ethanol an affordable reality in the near future, Broin Companies has formed a partnership with biotech industry leader Novazymes. According to a press release, the partnership will “take the next steps needed to bring cost-effective ethanol derived from corn stover to market.” The collaboration is an extension of the close partnership between the two …
Secretaries Stump for Cellulosic
The US Secretaries of Energy and Agriculture each talked about the need for cellulosic ethanol in two different venues this week. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman speaking at the Chicagoland Innovation Summit on Tuesday said ethanol is America’s best alternative energy source for the future, but researchers must develop a material other than corn to make it from. According to a …
Cellulose Ethanol Market Report
“The World’s Largest Market Research Resource” is now offering a Cellulose Ethanol Market Report. According to Dublin, Ireland-based Research and Markets, “given its environmental and economic benefits, together with the vast availability of feedstock, ethanol has taken on prominence as one of the most favored alternatives to fossil fuel.” The Market for Cellulose Ethanol report is an in-depth analysis of …