IRVINE, Calif. BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc. a leader in cellulosic
ethanol production technology, has commended the United States
Congress on the passing of the farm bill yesterday. By passing the
bill by an overwhelming margin, Congress has ruled out President
Bush's threatened veto.
The farm bill is expected to help pave the way for companies like
BlueFire Ethanol that are working to increase U.S. biofuels
production through its patented, commercially viable and profitable
system that transforms cellulosic waste into ethanol.
"The farm bill provides a much needed $1.01 per gallon tax credit
for the cellulosic biofuel industry," said Arnold Klann, president
and CEO of BlueFire. "Congress's continued support for the
development of clean energy technologies is a key step towards
full-scale commercial production of cellulosic ethanol and making
America energy-independent."
BlueFire Ethanol is one of six ethanol companies awarded funding
from the U.S. Department of Energy for its planned ethanol
production facility using cellulosic wastes diverted from landfills
in Southern California. The facility will produce approximately 17
million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from green waste,
wood waste and other cellulosic urban wastes.
In addition, BlueFire is also in the process of obtaining all
necessary permits to commence construction of a smaller facility
near Lancaster, California. The Lancaster plant will produce 3.1
million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from the cellulosic
fraction of post-sorted municipal solid waste. By locating
biorefineries directly in the markets with the highest demand for
ethanol, BlueFire Ethanol's technology can also help cities manage
landfill waste -- solving two problems for the price of one.
BlueFire's facilities will use its commercially-ready, patented and
proven Concentrated Acid Hydrolysis Technology Process for the
profitable conversion of cellulosic waste ("Green Waste") into
cellulosic ethanol. Derived from non-foodstock urban, forestry and
agricultural residues, this form of ethanol is a completely
renewable and highly-economical alternative to gasoline and other
types of ethanol.
"While our waste-to-ethanol process doesn't need the tax credit to
be commercially viable, the farm bill does help to mitigate the
financial markets' perceived risks in deploying a first-of-its-kind
technology," added Klann. "The tax credit in the farm bill is a key
incentive for integrated oil and other financial partners to get
involved at the project level of these cellulosic biorefineries."
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