British and Brazilian companies to install bioethanol demo plant in Guyana

21 November 2012

London-based Whitefox Technologies, together with its Brazil-based partner Green, have secured a bioethanol contract with the Guyanan Government. The two will install the units for a bioethanol demonstration plant at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) Albion Sugar Factory, and will be delivering a turnkey unit early next year.

Completely reliant on imported oil as a key source of energy, the Government of Guyana, through its Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU), is turning to bioethanol as a source of fuel.

The project is supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). As part of the development of its Climate Change Strategy the IDB has identified sustainable biofuels as a priority area. After detailed studies it was concluded that locally produced biofuels could have a positive impact in Guyana. Whitefox Technologies will provide the dehydration technology for the first small scale bioethanol facility in Guyana.

Guyana is the largest country of the Caribbean Community and is well-suited for bioenergy production given its abundance of sun, water, and available land. The feedstock for bioethanol production in Guyana will initially be molasses (from sugar cane), but other bioenergy feedstock will be explored.

Sugar cane is one of Guyana’s main commodities, responsible for approximately 20% of its annual revenue and 40% of all agricultural production.