US to have cellulosic ethanol by 2014 - DuPont

17 June 2008 23:47  [Source: ICIS news]

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (ICIS news)--The US will likely have its first commercial-size cellulosic ethanol plants by 2014, a DuPont official said on Tuesday.

“A plant with about 20m-50m gal/year will be operational between 2011 and 2014,” said DuPont development manager of biofuels Vonnie Estes during an industry event in Nashville.

While technology is already available to produce cellulosic ethanol, the product is not yet economically viable.

Cellulosic ethanol is produced from non-edible biomass, such as switch grass, corn stover and wood chips.

The product is expected to play a major role in the US biofuels industry in the coming years.

The US plans to use 16bn gal/year of cellulosic ethanol to meet its 36bn gal/year renewable fuels mandate set for 2022.

Estes said the US could have about 600m gal/year in total capacity by 2014, but she said the 16bn gal/year target set for 2022 was unlikely to be met.

The US now produces ethanol almost entirely from corn.

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By: William Lemos
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