TMO goes to Brazil with cellulosic plant project

TMO Renewables  a UK developer of second generation biofuels technology,  and Brazil-based Usina Santa Maria (USM) have entered a joint venture to build a commercial second generation production plant in São Paulo.

Under the agreement TMO, with USM, will build, own and operate the 10 million litre ethanol pilot plant in São Paulo using sugarcane bagasse, with construction of a full-scale industrial plant potentially in the future.

The plant will be located alongside a sugar mill owned by USM and is scheduled to go into production in 2014. The bioethanol will primarily be used to power Flex-Fuel vehicles in the domestic market.

‘Of the world’s largest economies, Brazil has made the move to encourage flex engine cars that can run on 100% ethanol,’ says TMO CEO David Weaver. ‘Through 10 years of research and development we have created a process to convert waste to biofuels. We will now prove the effectiveness of our process by building the first plants of their kind to convert waste-to-ethanol at commercial volume.’