INEOS Bio produces cellulosic ethanol from waste, at commercial scale

Cash from Trash: The Heroes from Vero are making renewable fuel in commercial quantities from ag waste and MSW in South Florida.

The Digest speaks with INEOS Bio CEO Peter WIlliams and COO Mark Niederschulte about the world’s first  facility to convert waste to fuel and electricity.

In Florida, INEOS Bio announced that its Indian River BioEnergy Center at Vero Beach is now producing cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale. First ethanol shipments will be released in August. This is the first commercial-scale production in the world using INEOS Bio’s breakthrough gasification and fermentation technology for conversion of biomass waste into bioethanol and renewable power.

The Center cost more than $130 million and created more than 400 direct construction, engineering and manufacturing jobs during its development. The project sourced more than 90% of the equipment from U.S. manufacturers, creating or retaining jobs in more than 10 states. The Center has 65 full- time employees and provides $4 million annually in payroll to the local community.

The BioEnergy Center is a joint venture project between INEOS Bio and NewPlanet Energy. The facility has already converted several types of waste biomass material into bioethanol, including vegetative and yard waste, and citrus, oak, pine, and pallet wood waste. The Center is also permitted to utilize municipal solid waste (MSW), quantities of which will be used for bioethanol production at the Center during 2014. It will have an annual output of eight million gallons (24kta) of cellulosic ethanol and six megawatts (gross) of renewable power.

The biofuels produced in Florida will anchor the new production of cellulosic ethanol under the U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). INEOS Bio is working with other companies and cities globally to use this technology as a new direction for waste disposal and the production of advanced biofuels and renewable power.

In today’s Digest, reaction from INEOS Bio, and what’s next in terms up ramping up capacity at Vero, and also the future for adding new sites; plus, an in-depth look at the challenges of moving from mechanical completion to production with a new technology, or a new industrial plant in a non-industrial area; also, BIO’s Brent Erickson helps us put the news into RFS2 perspective — all by following the page links below.

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