Site work underway for Fulton cellulosic ethanol plant
Californian firm BlueFire Renewables said yesterday its locally-based contractor Century Construction has begun initial activities of clearing, rough grading and drainage improvements for the site.
About 52 workers are involved, with expectations that employment numbers will reach 700 as the main construction of the plant is started by engineering, procurement and construction contractor MasTec, Inc.
The completed plant is expected to produce 19 million gallons of ethanol each year, produced from non-food, cellulosic waste materials including local arisings of green waste and wood waste.
BlueFire, which has it head office in Irvine, California, completed the permitting process for its plant last month (see this BrighterEnergy.org story). The company is being supported by $88 million in Recovery Act funds from the US Department of Energy (DOE).
Financing
The project is now in a position to seek a loan guarantee from the DOE or the US Department of Agriculture to complete its financing, the company said.
Arnold Klann, President and CEO of BlueFire Renewables, said the plant would help the DOE make cellulosic ethanol a “viable and cost-competitive” alternative to oil while putting people to work.
Mr Klann said: “It has been a long journey to get to this point in a very challenging financial market. To complete the process of bringing these promising biofuel projects to fruition, the loan guarantees as provided by Congress, are needed to get alternative energy technologies in the ground.”
Ultimately, BlueFire is aiming to open a string of biorefineries, located close to markets where there is good demand for biofuels in order to cut delivery costs. Its technology also aims to offer an outlet for waste materials as an alternative to landfills.
