ZeaChem receives €8.93 million

ZeaChem is to receive $12 million (€8.93 million) as part of a larger grant awarded by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The grant, worth a total of $40 million (29.76 million), is being distributed through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), Regional Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP). The project is aimed at establishing regional systems for sustainable production of bioenergy and bio-based products.

ZeaChem, is set to invest its portion of the grant in its existing 250,000 gallon-per-year integrated demonstration biorefinery, Port of Morrow. The company is creating integrated cellulosic biorefineries, capable of producing a broad portfolio of fuel and chemical products from renewable biomass.

'The grant allows ZeaChem to use our existing integrated demonstration facility to develop advanced biofuels beyond cellulosic ethanol, including bio-based jet, diesel and gasoline,' says Jim Imbler, ZeaChem president and CEO. 'The project highlights one of our unique strengths, which is that we can utilize a variety of biomass feedstocks and proven processes to develop a wide range of economical and sustainable fuel and chemical products.'

Bio-based jet and diesel production is expected to commence in 2013, with the production of bio-based gasoline, part of the C3 product platform, following in 2015.

The USDA AFRI Regional CAP is led by the University of Washington and includes GreenWood Resources, Oregon State University, Washington State University, the University of California, Davis, University of Idaho, and the Agricultural Center for Excellence.