POET-DSM biorefinery pivots to support COVID-19 response

In Iowa, POET-DSM saw an opportunity to utilize the Project LIBERTY facility to produce the pharmaceutical-grade ethanol ingredient necessary for hand sanitizer. BETO recognized the urgency to address the COVID-19-related demand for ethanol-based hand sanitizer and supported POET-DSM’s request to shift the facility’s use.

With support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), the Project LIBERTY biorefinery, a joint venture between POET, LLC and Royal DSM (POET-DSM), started producing cellulosic ethanol from corn stover in 2014.

As COVID-19 spread in early 2020, the POET-DSM partners recognized the need for alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Their novel approach was to use the Project LIBERTY biorefinery to produce the pharmaceutical-grade ethanol ingredient necessary for hand sanitizer.

POET-DSM’s request to change the use of the biorefinery was also supported by BETO.