The 9,000sqft cellulosic demonstration plant integrates the use of both cellulose and starch based feedstocks.
The plant uses proprietary ambient temperature enzymes for converting cellulose and starch to fermentable sugars to optimize process conditions for multiple feedstocks.
Non-food ethanol feedstocks used at the facility include switch grass, grass seed straw, small grain straw, sugarcane bagasse and corn stalks either alone or in combination with a variety of traditional starch and sugar sources such as corn, wheat, barley and sugarcane.
By utilizing multiple feedstocks, AE Biofuels said that it can produce ethanol through a cellulose only or cellulose-starch combination, thus reducing the risk of commodity availability and pricing uncertainty.
