Enerkem launches full-scale waste-to-biofuels and chemicals facility
04 June 2014
Enerkem Inc. officially inaugurated its first full-scale municipal waste-to-biofuels and chemicals facility in Edmonton, Alberta. This facility, operated by Enerkem Alberta Biofuels, is among the world’s first commercial facilities to be built for the production of renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels (methanol and ethanol).
Enerkem’s platform is a 4-step thermochemical process that consists of: feedstock preparation; gasification; cleaning and conditioning of syngas; and catalytic synthesis.
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This biorefinery is a collaboration between Enerkem, the City of Edmonton and Alberta Innovates – Energy and Environment Solutions. The facility will have a production capacity of up to 38 million liters (10 million gallons US) per year; will help the City of Edmonton increase its residential waste diversion rate to 90%; and is expected to generate net economic spending in the local area of nearly C$65 million annually.
The start-up of the biorefinery follows a commissioning plan which is nearing completion. Biomethanol production will begin progressively during the start-up. A module converting the biomethanol into advanced ethanol will be added by the end of 2015.
Why would you want to convert bio-methanol into ethanol when could easily covert methanol into carbon neutral gasoline using the MTG process?
Marcel
Posted by: Marcel Williams | 04 June 2014 at 05:10 PM
Why convert methanol to anything? Two moles of MeOH has more than 10% more energy than 1 mole of EtOH, and engines designed for MeOH can use very high levels of boost for greater output per unit weight and lower friction losses.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 07 June 2014 at 07:57 AM