Cellulosic ethanol, its promise and possibilities, has become one of the focal points of the debate on advanced biofuels and their role in the effort to develop energy independence for America.
There are currently two big projects racing to be the first to begin commercial production of ethanol from biomass. One of them, Abengoa Bioenergy, is under construction in Hugoton. The other, a joint venture of Poet and the Dutch company DSM, is building a plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. Both are scheduled to go into production the first quarter of 2014.
See below for a slideshow of photos from the Abengoa construction site in western Kansas.
RAILROAD SIDING: Work is almost complete on the rail system that will move baled biomass from the storage area into the initial processing tanks at the plant. Biomass will be trucked into the storage area; ethanol will move out by railcar.
BOILER WORK:
Construction is ongoing for the boiler plant that will supply power to Abengoa's 20-million-gallon cellulosic plant. Plans call for using the fiber waste from the process as fuel for the boiler.
VAST STORAGE:
Abengoa has a 400-acre site for the plant, which physically will take up about 20 acres. The rest of the site will be used for storing row after row of biomass bought from area farmers.
CORN STOVER:
This closeup shows the corn stalks, cobs and husks that will initially be used as feedstock for the plant. Plans call for eventually adding specific energy crops such as miscanthus and switch grass.
ONE DAY SUPPLY:
This row of baled corn stover will supply the biomass for about one to one and half days of production of cellulosic ethanol.
RAILROAD SIDING:
Work is almost complete on the rail system that will move baled biomass from the storage area into the initial processing tanks at the plant. Biomass will be trucked into the storage area; ethanol will move out by railcar.
BIN SYSTEM:
Unlike grain ethanol, which moves from grinding directly to fermentation, cellulosic material must first be pre-treated in the bins at the front where the process of breaking down the material will begin. It will then move to a second set of tanks for fermentation. After fermentation the "beer" will be stored in a larger tank and fed to the distilling tower.