First ethanol plant commissioned in Guyana

The first ever biofuel ethanol plant in Guyana was started up and commissioned this August by President Donald Ramotar.

The 1,000 litre a day capacity demonstration plant is a cornerstone of the government’s energy and transport policy, which includes moving towards a 10% ethanol blend.  The unit will use black strap molasses as a feedstock, which is essentially a waste stream, from Guyana Sugar’s Albion Sugar factory.

‘The success that this plant has given us already tells us about the potential that we have in this industry, and in the country, in trying to find cheaper, secure energy for our own development,’ Ramotar said at the ceremony.

The plant was designed to produce an ethanol purity of 99.6% for fuel grade ethanol, but during start-up it operated at purities of more than 99.9%. The plant will produce two streams of pure ethanol and pure water which can be re-used with no further treatment needed.

The technology for the plant has been supplied by Whitefox Technologies and Green Social Bioethanol.

The project is supported and part funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). As part of the development of its Climate Change Strategy the IDB has identified sustainable biofuels as a priority area. It was concluded that locally produced biofuels could have a positive impact in Guyana.