Groundbreaking looms for DuPont Danisco, UT cellulosic ethanol pilot project; corn cobs for first year, then switching to switchgrass

In Tennessee, groundbreaking for the pilot-scale, 250,000 gallons per year Genera Energy cellulosic ethanol plant in Vonore has been scheduled for next week. The Genera project is jointly developed by the University of Tennessee and DuPont Danisco.

The rapid build schedule has the project scheduled for completion by 2009. The plant will initially covert corn cobs to cellulosic ethanol, and will switch over to switchgrass in 2010 when a large-scale switchgrass growing program initiated under the Tennessee Biofuels Initiative reaches commercial production scale.

The plant is partially funded by $40.7 million from the state of Tennessee, and is part of a state farm-to-fuel model that is planned to supply up to 30 percent of the state’s fuel needs. Governor Phil Bredesen and Senator Bob Corker will be among the groundbreaking guests.

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