Mascoma Picks Michigan for Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
By John O'Dell June 27, 2008Michigan's upper penninsula, a place with a lot of trees, has been selected by Mascoma Corp. for its first commercial scale cellulosic ethanol plant.
Mascoma, which is partnering with General Motors Corp. in the hunt for a replacement for corn-based ethanol that won't impact food supplies or prices, has developed a process that converts wood waste and other biomass to the alcohol-based fuel used to augment or even replace gasoline.
The automaker and the fuel maker announced a series of alliances today that would help bring the plant to Michigan's Chippewa County, south of Sault Ste. Marie. The agreeemts will involve Michigan State University and Michigan Technological University in Mascoma's biofuels development efforts.
Mascoma said last July that it intended to set up a plant in Michigan but had been mum until now on the location.
The Massachussets-based company also is building a pilot project cellulosic plant in Rome, N.Y., and has announcedplans for a "pre-commercial" demonstration plant in Tennessee tomake ethanol from switchgrass.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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