Chopping the Cellulosic Ethanol Down Payment: Is <$100M for full-scale possible?

Biofuels Digest
Jim Lane November 22, 2011

Finding it hard to spare that $350 million for your cellulosic ethanol project? Here’s a system, available for licensing in 2012, that can bring down the upfront cost by a factor of three.
So, the obituary desk has been hard at work the last few months, writing notices on the death of cellulosic biofuels and the RFS.

Then, along comes POET’s and Abengoa’s loan guarantee, Chemtex’s demonstration, commencement of construction for INEOS Bio, ZeaChem’s demon is coming along.

And now, along comes Sud-Chemie with a system that is designed to ultimately cost less than $100 million for a 20 million gallon (60 million tonne) plant. Targeted to deliver operating costs that are the same as for first generation ethanol. Expected to be available for licensing as soon as next year.

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