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BlueFire Cellulosic Ethanol Project Advances to Phase II of DOE Loan Guarantee Process

BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc. announced that the Department of Energy has determined that the company has met the requirements necessary for Phase I of the application process for a loan guarantee and that the company has been invited to continue on to Phase II for the financing of their Fulton, MS Project.

The loan guarantee pursuant to this program would support the construction of BlueFire’s commercial cellulosic biofuels plant planned in Fulton, MS. Under this program BlueFire has requested $250 million, which would be combined with the previously awarded $88 million dollar grant and other resources to provide sufficient capital for the project’s construction and launch of the facility. The Fulton facility will produce 19 million gallons of ethanol per year from woody biomass, mill residue, and other cellulosic waste.

It’s going to take programs like the DOE loan guarantee to enable first-of-its-kind technologies to be in a position to secure the necessary funding to move forward and help provide cleaner energy sources to the fuel market. We are currently evaluating all options and seeking strategic personnel to help BlueFire successfully close the financing for the Fulton facility and other future facilities.

— Arnold Klann, CEO of BlueFire Ethanol

BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc. was established to deploy a commercially ready, patented and proven Concentrated Acid Hydrolysis Technology Process (the Arkenol process) for the profitable conversion of cellulosic waste materials to ethanol. (Earlier post.)

Comments

Reel$$

As much as certain among us feel that ethanol is a "food" - we need this supplemental fuel to help speed the transition to electrified transport. The more waste products converted to low carbon alcohols, the less imported oil we need. And even when that imported oil comes from neighbor Canada - it still exports billions ($500+) of dollars annually.

Those billions would do far better to be kept at home spread around the domestic markets, growing jobs. So, ethanol projects like this are valuable and integral to the orderly transition from petroleum liquid fuel to EV propulsion.

As others agree here - flex fuel vehicles should be mandated by 2014 along with E85 pumps in commercially strategic gas stations.

Chris Jensen

Yet the EPA refuses to rule on the E15 Waiver requested by the ethanol industry. Even if we wanted to (and some of us do and some of us don't) we can't buy ethanol in any concentrations other than e10 and e85. I personally would love to clean out the old fuel injectors in my 94 honda with E15. Loan guarantees won't fix that.

Reel$$

Good point Chris. It would be great to see E15 in pumps TODAY.

HarveyD

Local cellulosic ethanol instead of imported tar sands crude makes go common sense for USA.

Alberta could ship its surplus crude to China and the Far East via a new trans-rockies pipeline and to Eastern Canada via existing pipelines. Some 15,000 Chinese workers could build the new trans-rockies pipeline + new Pacific shore sea port within 48 months as they built our trans-rockies railroad hundred years ago. Of course, the steel pipes would come with the workers. Our glorious unions would cry loud but there are no laws against using imported pipes and qualified workers. The same 15,000 people could build 10 more oil extraction plants and double the pipelines when required. Alberta + Sask + BC + Canada could benefit from extra royalties. That would replenish the Unemployment Insurance Fund and keep the politicians happy for the next 100 years.

Reel$$

Harvey, pipelines to the West coast of Canada are meeting increasing legal blockade from environment and First nations groups. BC does not want oil tankers plying their waters to Asia with the next Exxon Valdes disaster.

Canadian fossil fuel industry would succeed in exporting NG to the lower 48. That is at least perceived as a greener fuel and could be used in the initial phases of a distributed energy plan. Tar sands are rapidly turning Canada into New Texas. Good for Alberta but a net negative in the eyes of the world.

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