Inoes Bio, a US-based biofuel producer, has commenced commercial operations at its $130m Indian River BioEnergy Centre located near Vero Beach, Florida.
The first shipment of ethanol produced at the facility, utilizing gasification and fermentation technology, is scheduled for August 2013. The production process involves conversion of biomass waste into bioethanol and renewable power.
INEOS Bio CEO Peter Williams has commended the company’s staff for the progress made by the company at the Vero Beach facility.
"They have successfully addressed the challenges of moving a new technology to large production scale for the very first time," added Williams.
The BioEnergy Center, a joint venture project between INEOS Bio and New Planet Energy, is estimated to have annual production capacity of eight million gallons of cellulosic ethanol and 6MW of renewable power. The facility will convert waste biomass material into bioethanol, including vegetative and yard waste, and citrus, oak, pine, and pallet wood waste.
"Consequently, we are now pleased to announce that we are producing commercial quantities of bioethanol from vegetative and wood waste, and at the same time exporting power to the local community – a world first."