The USDA project will establish regional systems for the sustainable production of bioenergy and bio-based products.
The company will secure $12m of the total $40m grant, and will implement the AFRI project at its existing 250,000 gallon-per-year integrated demonstration biorefinery, located at the Port of Morrow, near Boardman, Ore.
It is creating integrated cellulosic biorefineries, capable of producing a broad portfolio of fuel and chemical products from renewable biomass.
ZeaChem’s role in the USDA project is the logical progression of the company’s phased development strategy, in which it researches and develops saleable products at each step toward commercialization.
Design of the AFRI project is underway and the equipment modules are expected to be installed in 2013.
ZeaChem president and CEO Jim Imbler said the grant allows ZeaChem to use its existing integrated demonstration facility to develop advanced biofuels beyond cellulosic ethanol, including bio-based jet, diesel and gasoline.
Production of bio-based jet and diesel is expected to begin in 2013 and production of bio-based gasoline, part of the C3 product platform, will follow in 2015.
The USDA AFRI Regional CAP is led by the University of Washington and includes GreenWood Resources, Oregon State University, Washington State University, the University of California, Davis, University of Idaho, and the Agricultural Center for Excellence.
ZeaChem is a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable biomass into sustainable fuels and chemicals.
