US sugar beet ethanol project receives funding

A coalition of farmers in California, US have won support to construct a new ethanol demonstration plant using sugar beets as feedstock.

A dozen farmers, with support from university experts and a grant of $5 million (€3.8 million) from the California Energy Commission, will build the demo facility in Fresno County with an aim of then building the US’ first commercial-scale biorefinery using beet if successful.

‘We're trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to shift our transportation fuels to a lower carbon content,’ CEC chairman Robert Weisenmiller was quoted as saying. ‘The beets have the potential to provide that.’

The farmers claim ethanol yields from sugar beet is more than twice that taken from corn per acre and John Diener, a grower whose ranch will house the demo plant, adds: ‘This project is also about rural development. It's about bringing a better tax base to this area and bringing jobs for the people.’