Nebraska opens cellulosic ethanol plant

Abengoa Bioenergía has just opened a cellulosic ethanol plant in York, Nebraska. The source material for this plant is "lignocellulose biomass" (we usually call it "wood"). The company has invested more than $35 million in the plant, which will focus on obtaining an efficient process, and the project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The plant will focus on research, trying to find the best machinery, systems and catalysts to break the cellulose chains for processing, as well as the best plants for the process. Abengoa hopes to create an optimized ethanol manufacturing process.

During the opening of the plant, Abegoa Energía's president, Javier Salgado announced a new $38 million contract with the DOE for designing and developing one of the first cellulosic ethanol manufacturing facilities in Hugoton, Kansas. This plant will process 700 tons of biomass per day to produce 44 million liters of ethanol, as well as electric power and vapor. It includes a second conventional (grain based) ethanol manufacturing plant able to produce 88 million gallons. The final bill for the complex will add more than $300 million.

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[Source: Abengoa Bioenergía via Econoticias]

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