On Friday, Jan. 29, DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC (DDCE) and University of Tennessee/Genera Energy LLC will hold a grand opening celebration for one of the nation’s first cellulosic ethanol demo plants, and the only one dedicated to converting both agricultural residue and bioenergy crops to fuel ethanol. The facility, located in Vonore, Tenn., has initiated start-up and commissioning and will begin producing ethanol in mid-January.

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen will be an honored speaker at the event, along with other state, local, and business dignitaries. The 74,000-square-foot facility has the capacity to produce 250,000 gallons of ethanol from corncobs and switchgrass and is preparing DDCE’s innovative integrated technology for commercial production by 2012.

“The Sandia study confirms that the future of cellulosic ethanol is a realistic route to energy independence,” said Joe Skurla, President and CEO of DDCE. “More importantly, it also shows that our industry will contribute significantly to a low carbon transportation sector and the new green economy.”

The cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant in Vonore, Tenn., applies innovative integrated technology to convert agricultural residues and dedicated bioenergy crops to ethanol for fuel. The facility is focused on process and data validation to achieve commercial scale production by 2012. DDCE was established in 2008 to integrate the state-of-the art technologies and engineering expertise of DuPont and Danisco, and today is accelerating commercialization of cellulosic ethanol.

In Tennessee, DDCE has partnered with Genera Energy, which is wholly owned by the University of Tennessee Research Foundation and focuses on developing integrated biomass supply chain solutions and strategic partnerships to support the bioenergy industry in Tennessee. Genera Energy was formed in 2008 as a vehicle to carry out the cellulosic biorefinery activities and capital projects of the UT Biofuels Initiative, a farm-to-fuel business model funded with support from the Tennessee General Assembly to create a renewable energy industry in the state. Genera Energy was specifically created to provide the commercial flexibility needed to develop collaborations and partnerships with private entities with technology or other resources to contribute to the UTBI. Genera Energy has recently expanded its outreach to support the University’s interests in other renewable energy technologies.

Together, DDCE, University of Tennessee/Genera Energy, and the state of Tennessee are developing the technology and bioenergy crop supply chain to establish a thriving renewable fuels industry in the United States.  READ MORE   and MORE (Biofuels Digest)  and MORE  (Forbes)

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1. University of Florida IFAS, Buckeye Technologies and Myriant Announce Next Generation Cellulosic Ethanol Research and Demonstration Plant
2. Tennessee Legislators Approve Changes to Switchgrass Project
3. Inbicon Sells Out of Cellulosic Ethanol Before Demo Plant’s Opening
4. Lignol Energy Corp. and BAE Systems to Refine Biochemicals at Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
5. Pacific Ethanol Wins DOE Cellulosic Energy Grant