Maybe these tidbits will be the fuel it needs to get going!
Next-generation biofuels project receives $5.5M funding
Waterdown, ON - A technology that could allow biofuels producers to increase both their profitability and competitiveness has received $5.5 million in funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). The project, led by SunOpta BioProcess, will involve the construction of a facility to demonstrate an integrated process that aims to produce both food grade xylitol - a sugar substitute - and fuel grade cellulosic ethanol.
Using wood chips as feedstock, SunOpta's technology is projected to decrease process water consumption by up to 75%, compared to producing corn ethanol, while retaining all of the life-cycle carbon benefits inherent to cellulosic ethanol. The proposed project involves the construction of a demonstration plant with a capacity to produce up to 620 tonnes of xylitol and two million litres of cellulosic ethanol per year.
"Successful commercialization of biofuel production technology relies upon capturing value from all of the major components in biomass feedstock. The SDTC funding will allow SunOpta BioProcess Inc to demonstrate its integrated process technology to produce biofuels from cellulose, bioenergy from lignin, and xylitol, a natural alternative sweetener and value-added product produced from xylan," said Murray Burke, the company's president.
The SDTC funding for SunOpta's project will be leveraged with funding from members of its consortium, including Xylitol Canada and Emerald Forest Sugars.
http://www.labcanada.com/issues/ISAr...aid=1000354902
Tidbit from last week
SunOpta (NASDAQ: STKL; TSX: SOY) has been awarded a contract to supply a ‘major ethanol producer’ in China with its proprietary fiber preparation and pre-treatment equipment, which is used in the production of cellulosic ethanol.
“The Chinese client is one of the largest operators in the corn biochemical processing and new energy sectors in China and is owned by a consortium of leading Chinese companies including one of the largest petrochemical companies in China,” SunOpta stated.
The contract, which was secured with the assistance of SunOpta’s agent in China, will generate revenues of approximately US$6.5 million. The equipment supplied will be utilized in a new cellulosic demonstration plant which will use stover (leaves and stalks of corn) as feedstock from an adjacent start-to-ethanol facility already in operation.
"We are extremely pleased that one of the largest fuel alcohol companies in China has selected SBI as its supplier of choice for fiber preparation and pretreatment as it expands its capabilities to include fuel alcohol produced from cellulosic biomass,” Murray Burke, President of SBI, commented, “…As SBI's second major project in China, it represents another important step forward as SBI establishes its business in this very important market."
http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.hk...equipment.html