Blue Biofuels Begins Engineering and Design for Cellulosic Ethanol Project

by Blue Biofuels/EthanolProducer Magazine) In a recent development, Blue Biofuels Inc. proudly announces the commencement of an FEL 1 & 2 engineering study for a 2.4-million-gallon cellulosic ethanol facility. This endeavor is grounded in the company's innovative cellulose-to-sugar (CTS) system, which has undergone and is undergoing continuous refinement and optimization for the efficient conversion of cellulosic biomass into ethanol.

The engineering study meticulously outlines each process step, technical layout, and required equipment for the facility. Even at this initial volume, it demonstrates the viability of the CTS process in yielding positive margins for cellulosic ethanol production. Blue Biofuels is now poised to scale up its engineering design for larger facilities, leveraging the inherent advantages of scale to enhance profitability.

Drawing on successes achieved in their pilot plant, Blue Biofuels remains committed to further enhancing their process, with a focus on catalyst recycling and lignin separation for potential sale. While lignin sales are not yet factored into the model, ongoing optimizations signify a commitment to maximizing efficiency and sustainability.

Looking ahead, Blue Biofuels envisions integrating their CTS process to supply ethanol for their ethanol-to-sustainable-aviation-fuel joint venture with Vertimass, down the line replacing the sugar cane ethanol that will be used to start the ethanol to SAF production. This positions BIOF as a key player in the renewable energy sector, expecting to be the first to have an integrated process from biomass to SAF. READ MORE

Excerpt from Blue Biofuels: Blue Biofuels Inc. (“BIOF”) continues to make substantial strides in advancing its Cellulose-to-Sugar (CTS) technology towards commercial scale. The company has achieved a significant milestone by successfully producing its first batch of cellulosic ethanol, utilizing the cellulosic sugars created from biomass on its CTS pilot line.

Bolstering its technological leadership, BIOF has been granted two US Patents, with an additional six patents currently pending. These patents underscore BIOF’s commitment to proprietary advancements, strongly positioning the company in the biofuels landscape. BIOF remains dedicated to expanding its patent portfolio as it continues to upscale and commercialize its process.

Entering into the next phase, BIOF has embarked on the funding process to establish production capacity for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in collaboration with Vertimass. BIOF is evaluating prospective locations in Florida capable of accommodating both SAF and cellulosic ethanol production facilities.

Building upon existing partnerships, BIOF is also engaged in multiple discussions to expand its off-take agreements for biofuels. In addition to its established off-take arrangement with World Energy Sustainable Products, LLC, BIOF remains committed to forging new partnerships to meet the growing market demand for sustainable energy solutions.

Blue Biofuels is based in Florida and has the goal to produce biofuels through its developed Cellulose-to-Sugar (CTS) technology. CTS is a sustainable, and renewable green energy system with the potential to achieve a near-zero carbon footprint. The CTS process can convert virtually any plant material – grasses, forestry products, and agricultural waste such as sugarcane bagasse and wheat straw — into sugars and lignin. Sugars are subsequently processed into biofuels, such as ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel, and lignin may be further processed into a variety of products. The CTS process is a patented and proprietary technology wholly owned by Blue Biofuels. READ MORE

Excerpt from Ethanol Producer Magazine: The company has successfully produced cellulosic ethanol in high yields from multiple biomass feedstocks, showing the flexibility of its patented process.

This achievement is the result of processing biomass from king grass, sugar cane bagasse, and corn stover on the company's upscaled CTS pilot line. The sugars produced from our CTS process were successfully fermented into ethanol in high yield. This is a strong confirmation that the CTS process produces fermentable sugars with no harmful byproducts which could have inhibited the fermentation of CTS sugars to ethanol.

“We are very excited to have reached this important milestone,” said Ben Slager CEO of Blue Biofuels Inc. “Our successful production of cellulosic ethanol from multiple feedstocks not only validates our technology but also underscores its potential to strongly reinforce the biofuels industry. This is a key step towards our goal of commercial-scale production, where we can provide a sustainable and economically viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels.” READ MORE