Iogen Receives C$7.7 Million from Canadian Government for Cellulosic Ethanol Project
07 February 2007
Iogen has received a C$7.7 million (US$6.5 million) repayable investment in a C$25.8 million research and development (R&D) project designed to advance its cellulosic ethanol technology.
Iogen uses recombinant DNA-produced enzymes to break apart cellulose in biomass to produce the sugars that are then fermented to make fuel ethanol. In June 1999, Iogen received a repayable government investment to design and complete a demonstration-scale plant to test the cellulose-to-ethanol technology using wheat straw.
Iogen opened its demonstration plant opened in 2003. The new repayable investment will help the company to make upgrades to advance the technology deployed at the demonstration plant.
To be used with Iogen’s cellulosic ethanol process, a feedstock must have at least 60% carbohydrate content, and to remain cost effective, must be available in large quantities. Other feedstocks researched by the company include corn stover, switch grass, miscanthus, oat/barley straw, sugarcane bagasse and hard wood chips.
Major investors in Iogen include Shell, Petro-Canada and the Government of Canada. Shell and Petro-Canada are supporting Iogen’s plans to build a commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Canada. Iogen is also collaborating with Volkswagen and Shell to assess the economic feasibility of producing cellulosic ethanol in Germany. (Earlier post.)
Softwood doesn't work?
Posted by: Neil | 07 February 2007 at 09:16 AM
Neil:
Tar in coniferous trees makes cellulosic material less assessable for enzymes and chemicals. This is the reason why coniferous trees are not very good for pulp and paper too. All other trees (like poplar) are OK.
Posted by: Andrey | 07 February 2007 at 10:21 AM
Thanks Andrey, If tar is the problem then gasification should work well for softwoods.
If they go into cellulosic ethanol in a big way I hope that they will recycle the non-carbon nutrients back to the soils.
Posted by: Neil | 07 February 2007 at 10:31 AM
Can i have the website of Logen. Kindly post it to my email
Posted by: Leke | 08 February 2007 at 09:26 AM
www.iogen.ca - for anyone interested.
Posted by: Neil | 08 February 2007 at 11:14 AM
onight is the Kalamazoo Log Cabin Quilters guild meeting. I was just too tired to go. I decided to stay home and spend time with Sweet Pea and Papa Pea instead. Planer reviews
Posted by: Jerry John | 23 December 2012 at 09:19 PM