POET's Cellulosic Ethanol 'Project Liberty' Rises from the Ground in Iowa

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The holy grail of second-generation fuel ethanol production has begun rising from the ground, as POET LLC (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) has started initial site work and has begun pouring foundations for "Project Liberty" in Emmetsburg, Iowa. Backhoes are pushing earth around and slip forms and concrete work have finally begun on the project that has been in the works since early 2009.

POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC is a 50:50 joint venture between Royal DSM (Heerlen, Netherlands) and POET LLC, and is being constructed by POET Design and Construction, the engineering and construction arm of the leading domestic ethanol producer. It is expected to be completed by late 2013.

The estimated $200 million project involves converting the former 57 million-gallon-per-year, corn-based ethanol plant in Emmetsburg to produce 20 million gallons per year of second-generation ethanol from some 300,000 tons per year of corn cobs, leaves, husk and some stalk. POET already has begun stockpiling bales of stover from this year's corn harvest.

Earlier in the week, POET purchased licensed technology from Andrits Group (Graz, Austria) that has developed a two-stage process that includes a vertical reactor, an interstage washer, and continuous steam explosion technology (Advanced SteamEx process) to draw out available sugars from the cellulose material.

Once completed, the plant will be one of the most technologically advanced biofuels plants in the world.

Industrial Info's databases provide a comprehensive outline of all current development activities in the emerging alternative fuels market. Our North American Biodiesel Database covers 136 operational plants and 90 plants in development. Our North American Ethanol Database covers 214 operational plants and 138 plants in various development phases. Our North American Wood Fuel Pellet Database includes 63 operational plants producing more than 25,000 tons annually, and 38 projects in progress.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.