US DuPont jv plans major cellulosic ethanol output for 2012

17 June 2009 21:38  [Source: ICIS news]

DENVER, Colorado (ICIS news)--US chemicals maker DuPont plans to launch large-scale cellulosic ethanol production in 2012 through a joint venture it has with Danish group Danisco, a company official said on Wednesday.

The unit will produce about 25m gal/year (95m litres/year) of ethanol and will use corn cobs as a feedstock, said Vonnie Estes, vice president of business development for DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol.

Estes said another plant, which will produce 15m gal/year of ethanol, is expected to begin operations in 2013.

That facility will use switch grass as feedstock, she said at the 25th Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW).

Estes did not disclose where the plants would be built.

DuPont Danisco is on schedule to launch cellulosic ethanol production at a demonstration plant in Tennessee in the fourth quarter of 2009.

The plant will have capacity to produce 250,000 gal/year of the biofuel.

Cellulosic, or second-generation ethanol, is produced from non-edible biomass, as opposed to regular ethanol, which is made from corn and sugarcane.

The US will be required to use 100m gal of cellulosic biofuel in 2010, as mandated under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

Under the RFS, 16bn gal/year of cellulosic ethanol will be needed to meet a 36bn gal/year mandate set for 2022.

The 2009 FEW began on Tuesday in Denver, Colorado. The conference will end on Thursday.

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By: William Lemos
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