Weyland opens Norwegian 2G plant
The Statoil-backed Weyland cellulosic ethanol pilot plant in Bergen, Norway, has begun production.
The 200,000-litre second generation (2G) pilot-scale production facility will be used to demonstrate the company’s acid hydrolysis production process, paving the way for a commercial-scale project. The company also plans to market its technology to producers worldwide.
The technology developed by Weyland is based on a standard acid hydrolysis process but adds a patented acid recovery step that Weyland said improves efficiency and feedstock capabilities.
Weyland’s process recovers 98.5% of the acids and solvents used in the process, according to the company, and produces approximately 1 litre of ethanol for every 8 pounds of feedstock, depending on the type of feedstock used.
The process has been verified for use with multiple cellulosic feedstocks, including sugarcane bagasse, corn stover, corn cobs, rice straw, hardwoods, softwoods, wood wastes and paper wastes.
Internally, the company has joined with Norway-based industrial product manufacturer Elkem to evaluate the establishment of a 6-8 million gallon a year facility in Norway, but is also exploring commercial locations in other countries.
Weyland has received financial backing from several Norway institutions, including Statoil, which is one of the world’s largest oil and gas production companies. Statoil first invested in Weyland in 2009 and contributed to the funding of the pilot plant, according to Weyland.
The 200,000-litre second generation (2G) pilot-scale production facility will be used to demonstrate the company’s acid hydrolysis production process, paving the way for a commercial-scale project. The company also plans to market its technology to producers worldwide.
The technology developed by Weyland is based on a standard acid hydrolysis process but adds a patented acid recovery step that Weyland said improves efficiency and feedstock capabilities.
Weyland’s process recovers 98.5% of the acids and solvents used in the process, according to the company, and produces approximately 1 litre of ethanol for every 8 pounds of feedstock, depending on the type of feedstock used.
The process has been verified for use with multiple cellulosic feedstocks, including sugarcane bagasse, corn stover, corn cobs, rice straw, hardwoods, softwoods, wood wastes and paper wastes.
Internally, the company has joined with Norway-based industrial product manufacturer Elkem to evaluate the establishment of a 6-8 million gallon a year facility in Norway, but is also exploring commercial locations in other countries.
Weyland has received financial backing from several Norway institutions, including Statoil, which is one of the world’s largest oil and gas production companies. Statoil first invested in Weyland in 2009 and contributed to the funding of the pilot plant, according to Weyland.
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