SunOpta BioProcess Inc. (SBI), a division of SunOpta Inc. (NasdaqGS:STKL; Toronto:SOY.TO) plans to open a 10 million gallon per year cellulosic ethanol plant as a joint venture with Central Minnesota Ethanol Co-op (CMEC) of Little Falls, Minnesota.
The proposed operation is expected to be located adjacent to CMEC’s existing 21.5 million gallon per year corn starch to ethanol plant, and will use local wood chips as raw material feedstock.
The plant will utilize SBI proprietary and patented technology together with CMEC’s existing infrastructure, raw material supply sources and operational expertise. The critical pretreatment process step will utilize SBI’s proprietary auto hydrolysis process, which uses only heat and steam to pre-treat and partially hydrolyze lignocellulosic materials. In this process, the company says no external chemical catalyst is required and water contained in the raw material feedstock is efficiently utilized, eliminating the need for large external water sources.
The patented pretreatment technology, known as “steam explosion,” is currently being utilized in a number of commercial demonstration cellulosic ethanol facilities.
The companies say the proposed plant will be initially designed to produce 10 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year, with anticipated modular scale-up plans to expand the plant to over 50 million gallons per year.
Plans are to use locally acquired woodchips as the cellulose source, with residual lignin serving as fuel stock for a gasification and co-generation system to provide power for both the corn starch and cellulosic ethanol operations.
About SunOpta BioProcess Inc.
SunOpta BioProcess Inc. is a leader in the design, construction and optimization of biomass conversion process technologies, equipment and facilities. SBI produces cellulosic ethanol, cellulosic butanol, xylitol, and dietary fiber for human consumption; and it is currently supplying equipment and process technology to commercial demonstration cellulosic ethanol projects in the U.S., Spain, and China. SunOpta BioProcess Inc. intends to build and own or co-own commercial scale cellulosic ethanol production facilities worldwide through relationships with a number of venture partners.
About Central MN Ethanol Co-op
Central MN Ethanol Co-op (CMEC) is a majority farmer-owned Minnesota cooperative which operates a 21.5 million gallon per year corn starch to ethanol plant in Little Falls Minnesota.
Loading...