Ethtec begins construction of integrated cellulosic ethanol biorefinery
Australia’s EthTec (Ethanol Technologies Limited) has begun work on a A$20 million (€12.2/US$18 million) pilot cellulosic ethanol plant in New South Wales that will use wood residues (including pine), bagasse and other lignocellulosic materials as feedstock. The company is 51% owned by Willmott Forests Ltd.
Ethtec has a world-wide exclusive licence from Apace Research Limited to further develop and commercialize technologies developed by Apace for the production of cellulosic ethanol. In collaboration with the University of Southern Mississippi, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the University of New South Wales, Apace has developed and demonstrated its cellulosic ethanol technology at laboratory and mini-pilot plant scale.
Willmott Forests made its investment in Ethtec in 2007. It sees this as an opportunity to add value to the traditionally lower value wood products from both the forest floor and at the sawmill, such as mill residues, wood waste, woodchip and potentially pulpwood logs. The company has access to abundant feedstock to assist in the commercialisation of the pilot plant which, if this technology is proven, will bring benefits in the form of additional revenue to both its forest operations and its timber processing operations.
Ethtec’s larger-scale pilot plant is a four-phase project to further develop and commercialize the Apace Research technology. The individual new technology processes and the associated phases of the pilot plant project are:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: cellulosic ethanol :: wood :: sugar :: bioplastics :: biorefinery :: Australia ::
The new integrated process is expected to have immediate application world-wide in all new and existing ethanol distilleries that utilise traditional sugar, corn or starch feedstocks. There are more than 300 of these plants worldwide, either in operation or in the final stages of construction. The current annual global production of ethanol using traditional methods is approximately 50 billion litres.
Willmott Forests is an integrated company that plants, manages, harvests, processes, supplies and replants softwood resource for a commercial benefit in a sustainable manner. It has been committed to the establishment of Pinus radiata for over 25 years, and has established itself as a market leader in the proven and recognisable long term softwood plantation industry. Willmott Forests is the largest developer of newly established softwood pine plantations in Australia. It owns Ethec, Bioforest Ltd and Bioenergy Australia Ltd.
References:
Transport & Logistics News: Patented fibre-to-ethanol technologies in AU$20 million trial - February 12, 2008.
Willmott Forests: WFL takes strategic stake in Ethanol Technologies [*.pdf] - March 16, 2007.
Ethtec has a world-wide exclusive licence from Apace Research Limited to further develop and commercialize technologies developed by Apace for the production of cellulosic ethanol. In collaboration with the University of Southern Mississippi, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the University of New South Wales, Apace has developed and demonstrated its cellulosic ethanol technology at laboratory and mini-pilot plant scale.
Willmott Forests made its investment in Ethtec in 2007. It sees this as an opportunity to add value to the traditionally lower value wood products from both the forest floor and at the sawmill, such as mill residues, wood waste, woodchip and potentially pulpwood logs. The company has access to abundant feedstock to assist in the commercialisation of the pilot plant which, if this technology is proven, will bring benefits in the form of additional revenue to both its forest operations and its timber processing operations.
Ethtec’s larger-scale pilot plant is a four-phase project to further develop and commercialize the Apace Research technology. The individual new technology processes and the associated phases of the pilot plant project are:
- Phase one (late 2008): hydrolysis of lignocellulosics. This phase involves a new hydrolysis process that converts the hemicellulose and cellulose components of the fiber to sugars at a significantly lower cost than competing methods, according to the company. These sugars have a ready market in the production of renewable chemicals and bioplastics, and as an alternative in some traditional sucrose markets.
- Phase two (mid 2009): alternative sugars and lignin production; sulfuric acid production
- Phase three (early 2010): fermentation.
- Phase four (late 2008 - early 2010): simultaneous ethanol recovery and liquid effluent treatment. Phase four of the pilot plant project can be undertaken at the same time as phase one, and involves a new process of simultaneous ethanol recovery and liquid waste treatment. If successful, this new process will eliminate the liquid waste stream and thereby significantly reduce the environmental impact of ethanol distilleries, according to the company.
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: cellulosic ethanol :: wood :: sugar :: bioplastics :: biorefinery :: Australia ::
The new integrated process is expected to have immediate application world-wide in all new and existing ethanol distilleries that utilise traditional sugar, corn or starch feedstocks. There are more than 300 of these plants worldwide, either in operation or in the final stages of construction. The current annual global production of ethanol using traditional methods is approximately 50 billion litres.
Willmott Forests is an integrated company that plants, manages, harvests, processes, supplies and replants softwood resource for a commercial benefit in a sustainable manner. It has been committed to the establishment of Pinus radiata for over 25 years, and has established itself as a market leader in the proven and recognisable long term softwood plantation industry. Willmott Forests is the largest developer of newly established softwood pine plantations in Australia. It owns Ethec, Bioforest Ltd and Bioenergy Australia Ltd.
References:
Transport & Logistics News: Patented fibre-to-ethanol technologies in AU$20 million trial - February 12, 2008.
Willmott Forests: WFL takes strategic stake in Ethanol Technologies [*.pdf] - March 16, 2007.
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