12-06: Pilot and Commercial Demonstration of Cellulosic Ethanol Production

ICM operates a 35,000 sq.ft. integrated pilot biorefinery that is being used to demonstrate the growth of Gen 1 ethanol into Gen 1.5 and Gen 2 ethanol and beyond.  ICM is demonstrating the transformation of technology through a platform technology approach that builds over time while adding increasing value at with each new technology platform.  This approach provides a plan that allows current assets to systematically add value to current operations while also adding cellulose conversion capabilities.  ICM’s value addition to Gen 1 includes the ability to increase conversion of starch to ethanol, increase oil recovery, and provide a low cost approach to achieve a 7-10% increase in production from cellulosic fiber as shown in a recent 1,150-hour  campaign.  Commercial scale cellulose conversion to clarified sugars and fermentation products such as ethanol can be achieved either through as an integrated bolt on to an existing grain facility, co-located with an existing Gen 1 grain process that produces operational synergies when infrastructure and specific process streams are integrated between an existing Gen 1 plant and a new Gen 2 plant, and as a standalone greenfield Gen 2 plant.  Both Gen 2 formats produce a new high protein animal feed.  Because ICM’s cellulose conversion technology uses separate hydrolysis and fermentation strategies, this process naturally facilitates the production of clarified sugar streams that can be incorporated as a fermentation feedstock for the production of a wide variety of fermentation products.  Data will be presented from recent pilot campaigns along with commercialization schedules.