Verenium opens cellulosic ethanol demo plant (30 million gpy plant planned for 2009)

[JohnWxy]

http://www.bizjournals.com/masshightech/stories/2008/05/26/daily14.html

Cambridge-based Verenium Corp. begins its commissioning of its cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant in Jennings, La., with an opening on Thursday.

The commissioning phase involves evaluation of cellulosic ethanol and specialty enzyme production. The phase moves the company one step closer to constructing a 30 million-gallon-per-year plant for commercial ethanol production, slated for 2009.

Verenium originally broke ground on the 1.4 million gallon per year demonstration facility in February 2007, located adjacent to its pilot facility in Jennings, which is about 20 miles west of Lafayette.

[truedelphi]

1. Can you define cellulosic ethanol?

Does this mean any green matter, such as corn husks or other veggie waste products?

If so, this is a definite move in the right direction.

[TheMadMonk]

2. Pretty much.

If I have it right, the enzymes break the cellulose down into glucose which is then fermented in the usual fashion.

Not just any green matter, but any plant matter.