Largest Australian Ethanol Producer Diversifies Into Algae

The Manildra Group, Sydney, Australia, the largest Australian producer of ethanol  (300,000 metric tons/yr) has concluded an agreement with Algae Tec Lt to provide facilities at Manildra’s largest ethanol plant for demonstration at scale of the unique Algae Tec system for making bio ethanol.

A full scale module is scheduled for start up by the end of Q1, 2012.

Manildra is moving ahead with the Algae Tec system for two primary reasons. One is to eliminate use of food commodities (now primarily wheat) as raw material for making ethanol. The second is the Algae Tec system’s productive use of CO2 which is otherwise a waste liability of Manildra plant operations. Australia is reportedly planning to impose taxes on CO2 released to atmosphere.

Manildra is a one million tons/year user of wheat. It produces Flour, starch, gluten, protein, glucose and syrup as well as ethanol.

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