Algae-Based Bioethanol Plant to Be Built in Mexico

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Mexican company BioFields S.A.P.I. de C.V. (Mexico City) will start constructing an algae-based bioethanol production plant in 2009 in Puerto Libertad, Sonora, in northeastern Mexico. The company has entered into a license agreement with Algenol Biofuels Incorporated (Naples, Florida), the developer and owner of Capture Technology and Direct To Ethanol proprietary technologies, which consists of the farming of metabolically enhanced and highly resistant blue-green algae under controlled conditions in sealed bioreactors in order to obtain bioethanol. The process uses carbon dioxide, nutrients, sunshine and seawater as feedstock.

Algenol Biofuels and BioFields have obtained the permits to start construction and are counting on the Mexican government's support to produce this third-generation fuel. BioFields will be in charge of construction, while Algenol will be the technology provider and consultant. The $850 million project includes a gas-processing terminal, bioreactors, an ethanol-separation plant, a storage deposit and a loading unit. The facilities will be constructed next to a thermoelectric power station on the coast of the Sea of Cortez. The power station will provide the estimated 4 million tons of carbon dioxide per year needed for algae photosynthesis as well as access to a port, from which the products will be transported until BioFields builds its own port. The construction will be done in a modular way, beginning in 2009. The first stage will be operational by 2011, with a production capacity of 25 million gallons of ethanol per year.The second expansion stage will be ready in 2013, with the farm yielding 2 billion gallons. Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) will buy most of the ethanol produced by the factory, and the remaining product will be exported to the United States.

Algenol Biofuels has awarded BioFields the exclusive rights to apply the Capture Technology and Direct To Ethanol technologies in Mexico, and is evaluating the possibility of building four similar algae-based ethanol farms in the United States once permits are obtained. Algae are usually studied and used as feedstock to obtain biodiesel. For more details, view related February 4, 2008, news article - Alternative Liquid Fuels Expects to Begin Biodiesel Production this Month.

Industrial Info's Ethanol Database provides a comprehensive outline of all current development activities in the emerging alternative fuels market. This database covers 177 ethanol plants in operation and 530 plants under development. It also covers 145 operational biodiesel plants and 245 biodiesel plants under development.

View Plant Profile - 1081002
View Project Report - 65000958

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a marketing information service specializing in industrial process, energy and financial related markets with products and services ranging from industry news, analytics, forecasting, plant and project databases, as well as multimedia services.