Canadian waste-to-biofuels and chemicals company Enerkem Inc is planning a USD-200-million (EUR 178m) refinery that would convert solid waste into ethanol in Rosemount, Minnesota.

Last week it filed applications for land rezoning and comprehensive land use plan amendments, Finance and Commerce reported. These would enable construction of the plant next to a landfill of Minnesota waste management company SKB Environmental, Enerkem's partner in the project.

The proposal was first presented to the Rosemount City Council in May. Enerkem's North American vice president of business development, David McConnell, told Finance and Commerce that approvals would probably take months. The company is looking to begin construction in the third quarter of 2018. It would take between 12 and 16 months to build the plant, according to the interview.

The facility is to process 400,000 tonnes of waste per year, including waste lumber. Every tonne of feedstock would yield 100 gallons (378.5 litres) of ethanol.

Enerkem is planning more waste-to-ethanol projects, including in Montreal and in the Netherlands. The company has a commercial refinery in Alberta, which started biomethanol production in 2015 and where it is currently adding an ethanol module.

 

Source: http://renewables.seenews.com/news/enerkem-planning-usd-200m-waste-to-ethanol-plant-in-us-report-541902