Business
Sunopta Updates Current Cellulosic Ethanol Projects
Sunopta Updates Current Cellulosic Ethanol Projects.
About this update from Sunopta Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nTORONTO, January 18 /CNW/ - SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSX:SOY) today\nprovided an update on the four cellulosic ethanol projects which are or will\nbe operational using SunOpta's patented technology and equipment to produce\nethanol from cellulosic biomass including woodchips, corn stover, sugar cane\nbagasse, and wheat straw.\n\n\nChina Resources Alcohol Corporation (CRAC)\n\n\nCRAC has announced their intention to construct sufficient cellulosic\nethanol facilities to generate 330 million gallons of ethanol by 2012. SunOpta\nprovided its patented systems and technology to CRAC in September 2006 and the\nplant began production of ethanol from local corn stover in October 2006. This\nfacility is reported to be the first cellulosic ethanol production facility\noperational in the People's Republic of China. The SunOpta system is currently\noperating on a continuous basis and steps are currently being taken to scale\nthe SunOpta process up to full commercial levels for use in future plants in\nChina.\n\n\nChina has committed $5 billion to cellulosic ethanol production and\nrecently announced that they would allow no further increase in ethanol\nproduction from starch (corn), due to the needs for starch as food. China's\nannouncement illustrates the \"Food vs. Fuel\" issue, which continues to be a\nkey driver for cellulosic ethanol worldwide, together with concerns regarding\nthe impact of the world's \"addiction to oil\" on the environment and energy\nsecurity.\n\n\nAbengoa Bioenergy R&D Inc. (Abengoa)\n\n\nKey components of SunOpta's patented equipment and technology have\nrecently been shipped to Spain for the start up of the Abengoa wheat straw to\nethanol facility located in Salamanca, Spain. This project is expected to\nstart up in the summer of 2007 and will be the first commercial production\nfacility in the world producing cellulosic ethanol from wheat straw. Abengoa\nis the largest producer of ethanol in Europe.\n\n\nCelunol Inc. (Celunol)\n\n\nSunOpta's patented equipment and technology will be used in a new Celunol\nfacility being built in Jennings, Louisiana, to produce ethanol from sugarcane\nbagasse and wood. This will be the first commercial production of cellulosic\nethanol plant in the United States and is scheduled to start up in the summer\nof 2007.\n\n\nGreenField Ethanol Inc. (GreenField)\n\n\nSun...