Construction Starts at Ineos Bio's Indian River BioEnergy Center

18 February 2011 Ineos New Planet BioEnergy (INPB), a joint venture between INEOS Bio and New Planet Energy, has broken ground on the first U.S. facility to produce advanced biofuels from waste on a commercial scale. The $130 million Indian River BioEnergy Center in Vero Beach, Florida, will convert yard, vegetative and household wastes into cellulosic ethanol and renewable power for the local community. "We are excited to celebrate this important milestone, which moves advanced biofuels a step closer to achieving significant scale, enabling the US to achieve a leading position in the bioenergy sector." said Peter Williams, Chairman of INPB and CEO of Ineos Bio. The new facility will be the first in the U.S. to employ the Ineos Bio gasification and fermentation technology that uses naturally occurring bacteria. The company says that the technology is able to convert gases derived directly from biomass into bioethanol. "As part of our goal of advancing the biofuels industry, educating people about the benefits of this technology and creating more marketplace demand for advanced biofuels, we will continue to license this world-changing technology to partners across the US and beyond, bringing secure, renewable fuel and power to communities worldwide." When production starts in mid 2012, the Indian River BioEnergy Center will produce 8 million gallons (30 million litres) of bioethanol and 6 MW gross of renewable power, of which approximately 2 MW will be exported to the local community. "We have received strong support from the Federal and State Government and are pleased that this BioEnergy Center will bring significant economic and environmental benefits to the region," said INPB President David King.