Colombian bagasse-to-ethanol project sealed with agreement

An agreement between the US and Colombia hopes to increase the amount of sugarcane residue and palm oil harvesting intended for fuel ethanol and future blending.

The US Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory will work with Ecopetrol to look at ways of improving bagasse conversion processes and analyse the economic potential of commercial biofuels production.

The 18 month project is being funded by Ecopetrol to the tune of $2.3 million (€1.7 million) and will also include a limited study on residue left over from palm oil production.

NREL already has a pilot plant on a campus in Golden, Colombia which can process up to 1 tonne of biomass a day.