US opens advanced biofuels plant

The US has opened its first commercial-scale advanced biofuels plant that uses corn waste. Called Project LIBERTY, the biorefinery in Emmetsbury, Iowa will produce 25 million gallons of fuel every […]

The US has opened its first commercial-scale advanced biofuels plant that uses corn waste.

Called Project LIBERTY, the biorefinery in Emmetsbury, Iowa will produce 25 million gallons of fuel every year and cut 21,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

It will have the capacity to convert corn cobs, leaves and stalk from local farms into cellulosic ethanol, making it different from standard ethanol production that uses the edible parts of the plant.

The project – a joint venture between Poet and DSM – was developed after it received a $105 million (£64m) loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy in 2011.

US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said: “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.”

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