Enerkem begins commercial production of cellulosic ethanol from garbage

In Canada, Enerkem announced it started the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol. Enerkem’s facility in Edmonton, AB, Canada, is the first commercial-scale plant in the world to produce cellulosic ethanol made from non-recyclable, non-compostable mixed municipal solid waste.

The company has been producing and selling biomethanol since 2016, prior to expanding production to include cellulosic ethanol with the installation of its methanol-to-ethanol conversion unit earlier this year.

“The commercial production of cellulosic ethanol at our facility in Edmonton marks a landmark moment for our company as well as our customers in the waste management and petrochemical sectors, and confirms our leadership in the advanced biofuels market,” Vincent Chornet, President and Chief Executive Officer of Enerkem said in their press release. “We will now progressively increase production in Edmonton, while preparing to build the next Enerkem facilities locally and around the world.”