INEOS Bio Begins Commercial Production of Biofuel from Wastes in Florida
INEOS Bio and New Planet Energy are to begin commercial scale shipments of bioethanol produced at its Indian River Bioenergy Center which processes municipal waste at Vero Beach in Florida. The BioEnergy Center is a joint venture project between INEOS Bio and New Planet Energy, and has so far converted several types of waste biomass material into bioethanol, including vegetative and yard waste, and citrus, oak, pine, and pallet wood waste. According to INEOS Bio the first ethanol shipments will be released in August, and that it is the commercial-scale production in the world using its gasification and fermentation technology for conversion of biomass waste into bioethanol and renewable power. “They have successfully addressed the challenges of moving a new technology to large production scale for the very first time,” commented Peter Williams, CEO of INEOS Bio and Chairman of INEOS New Planet BioEnergy. “Consequently, we are now pleased to announce that we are producing commercial quantities of bioethanol from vegetative and wood waste, and at the same time exporting power to the local community – a world first,” he added. According to Williams the company expects to spend the remainder of 2013 putting the plant through its paces, and demonstrating full nameplate capacity. Williams added that so far all the indications are validating the technical and economic viability of the technology. “We remain convinced that the ability to divert waste materials from communities by converting them into competitively priced renewable fuel and power offers an excellent value proposition,” he continued. Output The facility is expected to have an annual output of eight million gallons (30 million litres) of cellulosic ethanol, as well as 6 MW gross of renewable energy. The Center is permitted to process municipal solid waste (MSW), quantities of which will be used for bioethanol production at the Center during 2014. INEOS Bio said that the facility cost more than $130 million and created more than 400 direct construction, engineering and manufacturing jobs during its development, as well as 65 permanent jobs. The company added that project also sourced more than 90% of the equipment from U.S. manufacturers, creating or retaining jobs in more than 10 states. Find out more about the story in WMW's weekly newscast below. Read More Sembcorp to Build 1000 TPD Waste to Energy Plant in Singapore Sembcorp Industries is to build a 1000 tonne per day waste to energy facility - its largest waste to energy facility to date. Go-Ahead for 7 MW Waste to Energy Gasification Facility in Milton Keynes AmeyCespa has received planning permission for its Milton Keynes Waste Recovery Park, which will utilise gasification technology from Manchester based Energos to recover energy from waste. Viridor’s 26 MW Waste to Energy Plant Secures EA Permit in London Viridor’s planned 26 MW waste to energy facility in Sutton, South London has been granted an environmental permit by the UK’s Environment Agency.