Green Options

Utilities may soon be helping to bring biofuels to your gas tank in an unexpected way. Montreal-based Enerkem recently announced it has finished building what it’s calling its first commercial-scale plant, one that will make cellulosic ethanol, methanol and various biochemicals from discarded utility poles.

After 14 months of construction, the Westbury, Quebec, factory was “mechanically completed” in December, but it isn’t yet fully operational. The company is now working to get the gas part of the plant – the part that will convert the poles into what’s called “syngas,” a mixture that includes carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and will use it to make methanol — up and running now and expects it to be running constantly by early February, CEO Vincent Chornet says.

Enerkem’s plant outside Montreal, Quebec is now mechanically complete and ready to enter the start-up phase of biofuel production.  At capacity, 1.3 million gallons of biofuels will be generated annually.  The company has not disclosed the price of the ethanol but says it is cheaper than the corn-based ethanol currently on the market.

Waste wood from used electricity poles will be the negative-cost feedstock used.  One metric ton is required to produce 95 gallons of ethanol.  Compared to other feedstock, wood does not have a high energy density.

Enerkem has developed a proprietary gasification process that allows biofuels to be produced from non-homogeneous materials.  It is important however to ensure that contaminants such as arsenic are not present, which is a challenge when using such feedstock.