Enerkem fires up commercial biofuel plant
June 8, 2009
By Canadian Biomass
Montreal, QC – Enerkem Inc.’s first commercial-scale biofuels
and biochemicals plant is entering the start-up phase with the
production of clean, conditioned synthesis gas.
Montreal, QC – Enerkem Inc.’s first commercial-scale biofuels and biochemicals plant is entering the start-up phase with the production of clean, conditioned synthesis gas. Construction on the plant, located in Westbury, QC, began in October 2007 and the facility was mechanically complete in December 2008. The conditioned synthesis gas (syngas) platform has been finalized and is in an advanced commissioning stage in preparation for its upcoming start-up.
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| Enerkem is one step closer to becoming the first commercial producer of biofuels and biochemicals using waste biomass feedstock.
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The syngas platform serves as the chemical production platform to which methanol and ethanol production modules will be added over the next months. Once these gas-to-liquid modules are bolted to the syngas platform, Enerkem will become the first commercial producer of liquid fuels and biochemicals using renewable, nonfood, negative-cost feedstock.
The Westbury plant will be the world’s first ethanol plant to use negative-cost and unconventional materials—treated wood from used electricity poles. It is operated by a team of 13 people and will produce 5 million litres (1.3 million gallons) of second-generation ethanol annually. The Enerkem thermo-chemical process uses one tonne of waste to produce 360 litres (95 gallons) of ethanol.
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