Royal DSM quickly pivots to China after opening Project Liberty in the US
In the Netherlands, Royal DSM won’t take a day to rest on their laurels as they turn toward the Chinese market after the opening of Project LIBERTY in Iowa. The company looks to start its cellulosic ethanol licensing business in China in coming months, but the timing will depend on Chinese regulations, said Chief Executive Feike Sijbesma to China Daily on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Tianjin.
“With our first factory in the US making it possible, we hope to bring it to China, too,” continued Sijbesma. He said that the technology will have “phenomenal” market potential in China, which is eager to reduce its dependence on traditional energy, and added that hundreds of billions of dollars are at stake if the technology is applied successfully in the Chinese market.
DSM is turning to China after their recent victory in the US, which the Digest reported on last week. The joint venture between Royal DSM and POET opened Project LIBERTY, a 20 mgy cellulosic biofuel plant. When operational, the facility will accept 300,000 tons of biomass which, according to POET’s released figures, can be sustainably harvested from a 468 square-mile area. By contrast, a 100 Mgy corn ethanol plant can be sustained by a 325 square-mile area using POET’s process. The initial capital expenditure by the joint venture in Project Liberty will amount to about $250 million.
Category: Fuels
