Enerkem begins production of cellulosic ethanol from MSW at its Edmonton biorefinery
Enerkem has started the commercial production of
cellulosic ethanol at its facility in Edmonton (see press release
15/09/2017). It is the first commercial-scale plant in the world to produce
cellulosic ethanol from non-recyclable, non-compostable mixed municipal solid
waste (MSW).
Biorefinery
datasheet:
Location
|
Edmonton
(Alberta, Canada)
|
Type
|
Single-line
methanol-ethanol production commercial facility
|
Process
technology
|
4-step
thermochemical process:
- Feedstock
preparation
- Gasification
- Cleaning
and conditioning of syngas
- Catalytic
synthesis
|
Feedstock
|
Post-sorted
MSW (after recycling and composting)
|
Products
|
Methanol
and ethanol
|
Production
capacity
|
38
million litres per year
|
Timeline
|
Official
opening: June 4, 2014.
It has
been producing and selling biomethanol since 2016.
A new methanol-to-ethanol
conversion unit has been installed this year and the production of ethanol started
this month.
|
Figure 1. Enerkem's state-of-the-art Edmonton biofuels
facility (extracted from the press release)
Enerkem's technology offers a smart alternative to traditional
waste management models as well as provides a clean transportation fuel. Last
April, Enerkem received the lowest carbon intensity value ever issued by the
British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines for its ethanol product under the
Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements Regulation (see press release
19/04/2017). The carbon intensity is the measure of GHG emissions
associated with producing and consuming a transportation fuel, expressed in
grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule of energy (gCO2e/MJ). The
confirmed carbon intensity of Enerkem's waste-based ethanol is set at -55
gCO2e/MJ. As a comparison, gasoline has an intensity of +88 gCO2e/MJ. The
approval under the British Columbia Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements
Regulation opened up the door for Enerkem to sell its advanced ethanol in the
province, in addition to the local Alberta market where the facility in
operation is located.
The commercial production of cellulosic ethanol at
the Edmonton biorefinery marks a landmark moment for the company. Now, Enerkem will
progressively increase production in the facility while paving the way of the
next plants locally and around the world (see more information about one of its
projects: Air
Liquide, AkzoNobel, AVR, Enerkem and Van Gansewinkel to build
waste-to-chemicals plant in Rotterdam).