Illinois-based ethanol developer Coskata has announced a strategic alliance with ethanol plant-engineering firm ICM to design and construct a commercial ethanol plant using Coskata's biological fermentation technology.
The first Coskata plant, expected to open in late 2010, will be the staging ground for the world’s first mass-produced next-generation ethanol, the company said.
Coskata stated that it uses a unique three-step conversion process that turns virtually any carbon-based feedstock, including biomass, municipal solid waste, bagasse and other agricultural waste into ethanol.
The process is environmentally sound by reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 84% compared to gasoline, according to the Argonne National Laboratory.
Bill Roe, president and CEO of Coskata, said: Aligning with ICM on one of our first commercial plants is a natural choice because of its unrivaled biofuels technical knowledge and ability. This strategic alliance moves us a step closer to the arrival of Coskata’s next-generation ethanol in the marketplace.