Woody biomass conversion on table for US ethanol producer

Front Range Energy, an ethanol producer in Colorado, US is to move away from using corn feedstock to woody biomass.

FRE says it has tested a new process to make ethanol from wood waste and its facility could start commercial production next year.

‘The idea to use biomass to convert to ethanol is not a new idea,’ says Dan Sanders Jr, FRE VP. ‘What's new is the technology to bring it to market.’

FRE plans to turn 7% of its ethanol production from woody biomass via the conversion in 2014. This should reduce the company’s corn consumption by around 1.2 million bushels annually.