Praise for Project LIBERTY

US DOE

Project LIBERTY, the nation’s first commercial scale cellulosic ethanol plant to use corn waste as feedstock, announced the start of production on September 3. Once operating at full commercial scale, the biorefinery in Emmetsburg, Iowa, will produce 25 million gal./y of cellulosic ethanol, enough to avoid approximately 210 000 tpy of CO₂ emissions.

Developed with the support of approximately US$ 100 million in investments and research from the US Department of Energy, the facilities use biochemical conversion technologies such as yeast and enzymes to convert cellulosic biomass into transportation fuels.

Ernest Moniz, Secretary, US DoE said, ‘the Energy Department’s investments in projects like the LIBERTY biorefinery are helping to bring innovative, cost cutting biofuel technologies online and diversify our transportation fuelling options. Home grown biofuels have the potential to further increase our energy security, stimulate rural economic development, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.’

Tom Vilsack, Agriculture Secretary said, ‘the Project LIBERTY opening demonstrates that America is ready for advanced renewable energy production. USDA invested to help bring this facility online because it is boosting America’s energy independence, cutting carbon pollution, and holds great promise for our domestic agriculture and energy industries. This facility has already created local jobs and opportunities for farmers, and, it will continue to spur local investment and open the door for new technology and job growth across rural America. I congratulate the POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels team on their grand opening and for all they have done and the opportunities they will continue to create for farmers and rural communties.’

BIO

The Biotechnology Industry Organisation (BIO) has congratulated member company POET-DSM on opening Project LIBERTY, a 20 million gal./y cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Emmetsburg, Iowa.

Jim Greenwood, BIO President and CEO said, ‘the advanced biofuel industry is right now commissioning and starting up first of a kind cellulosic biofuel plants, creating new jobs and putting innovative new technology into action, thanks to the Renewable Fuel Standard. Project LIBERTY is the realisation of nearly a decade of research and development, and we congratulate POET-DSM and its employees on this achievement.’

Brent Erickson, BIO’s Executive Vice President said, ‘we should not forget that the Renewable Fuel Standard is enabling US biofuels innovation and commercialisation and the dedication of this new biorefinery underscores the significance and efficacy of this important public policy.’

Edited from press releases by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/04092014/praise-for-project-liberty/