Synsel secures funding for its biorefinery in Ontonagon

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Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.

SynSel Energy Inc. (SynSel), a developer and integrator of biorefining processes, has selected Ontonagon (Michigan) and Lumberton (Mississippi) as initial sites in USA for the construction of its first advanced biofuels plants (more information here: “SynSel plans to build two advanced biofuels plants in USA”, 3/8/2017). Last August, the company was seeking funding for the construction of both plants.

According to recent news, SynSel has just secured the capital resources for one of them. It is partnering with a US-based financier and Lost Bowl Development LLC to construct the facility in Ontonagon.

Available data
Location
Former Smurfit-Stone Paper Mill in Ontonagon.
It is owned by Lost Bowl Development LLC.
Feedstock and processing capacity
At full capacity, the plant will use approximately the same volume of wood feedstock as the former paper mill.
Products and production capacity
90,000 gallons per day of synthetic transportation fuels.
Technology
Thermocatalytic process.
Investment
300 M$.
Employment impact
The plant will operate 24/7 and is estimated to generate 100 to 150 full-time jobs across four shifts.
Timeline
The engineering work is expected to begin in early summer and will take 14 months.
Construction of the plant would be spread out over 2 years followed by several months of commissioning.

Figure 1. Former Smurfit-Stone Paper Mill in Ontonagon, where the new biorefinery will be constructed

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