Wood biorefinery gets funds Waterdown, ON – Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) has awarded a project led by SunOpta Bio- Process Inc up to $5.5 million in funding for the construc- tion of a pilot plant. The plant will demonstrate an inte- grated process 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, but with the life-cycle carbon benefits of cellulosic ethanol. The proposed project involves the construction of a demonstration plant capable of pro- ducing up to 620 tonnes of xylitol and two million litres of cellulosic ethanol per year. According to SunOpta BioProcess president Murray Burke, the integrated biorefinery technol- ogy will produce xylitol, liquid biofuels from cellulose, and bioenergy from lignin. The SDTC funding for the project will be leveraged with funding from members of its consortium, including Xylitol Canada and Emerald Forest Sugars Inc. bc biorefinery evaluation begins Atlanta, GA – Raven Biofuels International Corporation has established a partner Canadian corporation, Raven Biofuels Ltd (RBL). RBL will develop production technologies for bio- fuels and renewable chemicals in conjunction with the forestry sector and will pursue Canadian opportunities in bioenergy and clean technology. The first proposed project is the Tk’emlups Biorefinery Project, to be located in Kamloops, British Columbia. It will operate through a joint venture with the Kamloops Indian Band (KIB). The goals for this project in early 2010 are to: complete a preliminary engineering study, conclude a feed- stock study, hire key personnel, finalize site agreements, initiate permitting, perform initial feedstock testing, formalize initial feedstock supply agreements, sign initial off-take agree- ments for biorefinery products, and secure additional funding. The proposed Tk’emlups Biorefinery will require a continu- ous fibre supply of 500 dry tons/day to produce its initial out- put of 11 million gallons/year of fuel grade ethanol, chemicals, and lignin. It is planned that KIB will be the primary fibre supplier for the biorefinery. The biorefinery design will be scalable to increase output once capacity is reached. Sandwell Engineering has been hired to review and assess the technology and process for dilute acid hydrolysis of wood to produce chemicals and ethanol. Sandwell will assess the applicability of this process to mountain pine beetle-killed lodgepole pine and will review the application of the equip- ment to a production plant. It is also considering new design applications whereby a biorefinery could be integrated into a kraft pulp mill. Further lab testing or pilot plant runs will be required to confirm design criteria parameters for commercial development of the refinery. A rail fleet to move your cargo. Prices and terms to move you. We deliver a fleet of railcars and financing options with service and strength you can count on: Customized finance and operating lease structures Reliable fleet management Personalized service Value Find out what we can do for your company. Call us today at 514-861-3101. © 2010 Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Inc. All rights reserved. First Union Rail Corporation is associated with Wells Fargo & Comany, a company that is not regulated in Canada as a financial institution, a bank holding company or an insurance company. CanadianBIOMASS 7 A Wells Fargo Company
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