Cellulosic Ethanol Projects Progressing

by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) Both Abengoa Bioenergy and Poet LLC hope to have the first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in the world and expect to begin operation in the next few years.

Poet’s Emmetsburg, Iowa, plant is slated for operation in 2012, capable of producing 25 million gallons from corncobs and high-cut material, according to Adam Wirt, Poet’s technology development specialist, who discussed the project at the Energy & Environmental Research Center’s Biomass ’10: Renewable Power, Fuels, and Chemicals Workshop July 20 and 21 in Grand Forks, N.D. “Our goal is to build the first in the world,” he told attendees. “We’ve heard a lot of companies say that.” Poet has worked with equipment manufacturers to establish collection methods for the feedstock and has identified 600 area farmers to contribute.

...“Cellulosic ethanol is an Abengoa goal,” said Robert Wooley, Abengoa director of process engineering. “It’s not just a project. It’s our future.” Abengoa’s plant will be located in Hugoton, Kan., and Wooley calls it a key first for the nation.

...Abengoa’s plant will require 2,500 tons per day of corn stover, straw, milo stubble and swtichgrass, and the offtake will go to its sister company, Abengoa Bioenergy Trading. It will produce 16 million gallons of ethanol, 29,000 tons of lignin and 75 megawatts of power. The company already has 50 percent of its supply contracts signed. The plant has strong state and local support, Wooley said, and the company’s long-term strategy is to commercialize its lignocellulosic conversion technology to hybrid facilities along with biopower or existing corn starch ethanol facilities. READ MORE