Australian $60 million timber processing project to supply wood waste for ethanol

In Australia, Willmott Forests won a contract from the New South Wales government to expand a $60 million softwood processing plant at Bombala. Plant owners have indicated that they plant to produce ethanol, or supply waste timber biomass for ethanol production, as part of the vision for expansion project.

One of the first projects in Australia to produce cellulosic ethanol is Willmott Forests’ Ethtec, which commenced production on December 17 at its pilot plant near Maclean in northern New South Wales. The company’s process uses hydrolysis to convert cellulose to sugars, which can then be fermented into ethanol.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd pledged $15 million toward second-generation biofuel plants in the recent Australian election campaign, with a goal of making next-generation ethanol commercially viable by 2017.
Yahoo conducted an online poll late last year regarding Australian policy on climate change. 31 percent said that the country should put the climate first and the economy second; 53 percent the country should balance climate change action with the needs of the economy, and 10 percent said the country should put the economy first and climate second. 6 percent said the country should take no action.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Raven Biofuels signs wood feedstock agreement with Canada’s Kamloops Indian Band

In New Jersey, Raven Biofuels announced an agreement with the Kamloops Indian Band in British Columbia to locate an ethanol biorefinery and cogeneration power plant at a site provide by the Band, The ...

Alabama municipal wood waste cellulosic ethanol plant commences shipments

In Alabama, the Birmingham News is reporting that start-up is now imminent on a wood waste ethanol plant in Hoover that will supply E85 ethanol to the city's flex-fuel police and fire fleet. The plant...

Russia to launch 30 ethanol plants with 606 Mgy in capacity

In Russia, Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov said that the country will develop 30 ethanol plants, and making the remarks at a timber conference he touched off speculation that wood waste would be used as ...

Oregon group to convert dairy, wood waste to butanol

In Oregon, Diesel Brewing of Salem announced that it will construct a pilot gasification plant that will convert dairy and wood waste into butanol. The company said that it expects to open the pilot f...

Lignol’s wood-based cellulosic ethanol plant site moved to Grand Junction; $85 million project will open in 2012

In Colorado, Canada's Lignol has moved the site of its proposed demonstration-scale wood-based cellulosic ethanol plant from Commerce City to Grand Junction. The $85 million project will be managed by...

Sodra Cell Varo to convert to biomass, biofuels to power Swedish pulp and paper plant

In Sweden, pulp producer Sodra Cell Varo announced an $83 million project to generate all its energy needs from timber biomass and biofuels. The project, which will be operational by 2010, reduces the...