Denmark: Cellulosic ethanol plant gets more public money

January 1, 1970

BY Brian Warshaw in Fontaines, Burgundy, France

Web exclusive posted May 6, 2008 at 11:06 a.m. CST

Denmark has promised Dong Energy A/S more public money towards construction of a second-generation ethanol plant that will also produce animal feed and power-plant fuel.

The plant would be built next to Dong's Asnæs power plant at Kalundborg, Denmark. Dong Energy, based in of Skærbæk, Denmark, thinks its technology will work with other residual biomass products as well, and allow increased ethanol production in existing plants, including those in the United States and Brazil.

The Danish government's 54.2 million kroner (kr), or $11.4 million grant, announced in April, was provided by the Energy Authority's Technological Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP). In December 2007, Dong received a kr 22.5 million ($4.7 million) grant from the Energy Authority's energy research program. The two grants cover 26 percent of the project's estimated cost of kr 300 million ($62.8 million).

Plans for the plant emerged last September. "Dong Energy wants to be active in the development of new eco-friendly energy technologies," in a statement, Anders Eldrup, Dong chief executive, said. He noted that the second-generation ethanol production proposed for Kalundborg, Denmark, "provides interesting perspectives for export of Danish technology."

The Kalundborg plant will process 4 metric tons (4.4 tons) hourly of chopped straw 2 inches to 4 inches in length, or 30,000 metric tons (33,000 tons) annually. It will produce 5.4 million liters (1.4 MMgy) of ethanol and 11,100 metric tons (12,210 tons) of animal feed, as well as 8,250 metric tons (9,075 short tons) of solid biofuel.

The animal feed generated by the facility will be C5 molasses mixed with dry matter to produce "cattle cake." The plant's own solid biofuel byproduct will make it energy self-sufficient. Excess solid fuel will be delivered to the Asnæs Power Station and burned to generate electricity and heat.

Dong is working with Norwegian energy company Statoil AS, as a potential buyer for the ethanol, and with Danish biotechnology company Danisco Genencor A/S, which will supply enzymes for the process. Final approval for the plant is expected in the third quarter of 2008; the plant is expected to be operational by November 2009.

Dong hopes the plant will be ready for the December 2009 United Nations Climate Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, so it can invite delegates for a tour.

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