Abengoa Bioenergy breaks ground on cellulosic ethanol plant

In Hugoton, Kansas, US, Abengoa Bioenergy has started building its commercial-scale cellulosic biorefinery after it received its PSD Air Quality Construction Permit from the state of Kansas on 16 September.

The plant is expected to be under construction for the next two years, creating 300 jobs. When the facility comes online it will produce 23 million gallons a year of cellulosic ethanol and 65 permanent positions will become available.

'Production of ethanol fuels from biomass agricultural wastes and grasses that are abundant within our state is an exciting opportunity to turn low value products into products that reduce our need to import foreign oil,' says state representative Steve Alford. 'This is positive news for southwest Kansas and the entire state.'