Comet Biorefining announces cellulosic sugar technology
September 21, 2009
By Canadian Biomass
Sep. 21, 2009, London, Ontario - Comet Biorefining has applied for a patent for its cellulosic sugar technology. The technology produces cellulosic sugar from a wide range of biomass such as wood chips, switchgrass, and corncobs for direct conversion to biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol.
Sep. 21, 2009, London, Ontario – Comet Biorefining has applied for a patent for its cellulosic sugar technology. This transformative technology
produces cellulosic sugar from a wide range of biomass such as wood chips, switchgrass, and corn cobs using a novel, low-cost
pretreatment process. The resulting cellulosic sugar can be produced
close to where the biomass is grown and then shipped to biofuels production
facilities where it can be directly converted to biofuels such as
cellulosic ethanol, without the need for on-site pretreatment. The
cellulosic sugar has high energy density and is stable for months after
pretreatment, allowing the material to be shipped by rail over long
distances and stored like corn or grain.
"Comet Biorefining is pleased to
introduce our game-changing cellulosic sugar technology. This
technology produces a dense and shippable cellulosic sugar that
fundamentally shifts the economics and logistics of biofuels
production. By moving the pretreatment process out of the biofuels
facility and close to the biomass source, this will drastically reduce
both capital and operating costs for biofuels manufacturers and will
allow biofuels technology developers to focus on their core business of
developing novel microorganisms and fermentation processes for biofuels
production," says Comet CEO and founder, Dr. Andrew Richard.
Comet Biorefining has demonstrated the technology at pilot
scale and estimates that cellulosic sugar can be produced for as low as
7 cents per pound based on laboratory testing. "The
key to success for the biofuels industry is low-cost sugar. Because our
cellulosic sugar can be produced locally and shipped by rail, Comet
Biorefining envisions small, modular, satellite pretreatment plants
that can ship dense cellulosic sugar to much larger biofuels
facilities,"
states Richard.
Comet Biorefining plans to build a demonstration facility in 2010
and to partner with biofuels technology developers to provide them with
cellulosic sugar for their processes. Comet Biorefining's goal is to
license its cellulosic sugar technology worldwide.
Print this page
