M&G headquarters in Tortona, Italy.
Novozymes partner M&G begins construction of the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant. The plant will produce 13 million gallons of ethanol per year from biomass. The price of the ethanol will be competitive with gasoline.
BAGSVAERD, DENMARK: Mossi & Ghisolfi Group (M&G), a Novozymes partner, has broken ground on a 13 million gallons/year (50 million litre) production facility for cellulosic ethanol in Crescentino in northwestern Italy. The price of the ethanol will be competitive with gasoline. The plant will be 10 times larger than the largest demonstration facilities in operation and is designed to operate on a multitude of cellulosic feedstocks. It is scheduled to start production in 2012.
Cellulosic ethanol is produced from biomass such as wheat straw, corn stover, municipal waste, or energy crops, which is first broken down into a pulp. Novozymes, who has collaborated closely with M&G for the last couple of years will supply the enzymes for the plant.
“Laying the foundation for the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant here in Crescentino is an important milestone for us and at the same time a new beginning,” said Vittorio Ghisolfi, President, M&G Group. “This plant proves cellulosic bioethanol can be produced in a sustainable manner for the environment and for the industry. But research is not stopping here. We are assessing bio-based substitutes for a range of other petrochemical products and chemical intermediates."
M&G’s plant in Crescentino will be self-sufficient in power. Lignin, a co-product extracted from biomass during the ethanol production process, is burned in an attached power plant that also feeds excess electricity back to the grid.
(C) WOC News