BlueFire Ethanol
Encyclopedia
BlueFire Renewables is a biofuel
company that produces a cellulose
-to-ethanol
solution using wood waste, agricultural residue and municipal waste. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California
and is publicly traded in the U.S. under the ticker .
On August 17, 2010, BlueFire Ethanol Fuels rebranded itself as BlueFire Renewables.
, reduces waste material to minuscule dimensions, where it is combined with sulfuric acid. This releases lignin
structures within the biomass, where the sugar and acid are separated. The sugar goes into a yeast-fermenting process that results in its conversion to ethanol.
plant in Fulton, MS.
In 2008, the company unveiled plans to create a network of ethanol refineries located at landfills around the world. Under this plan, the landfill operators would receive US$6.00 per ton for the removal of their trash for processing into ethanol.
In 2009, Bluefire announced a teaming agreement with Solazyme
, a renewable oil production company and leading algal synthetic biology company, that sugars produced through BlueFire's patented process will be used by Solazyme to produce various oils for fuel production.
Biofuel
Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...
company that produces a cellulose
Cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
-to-ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
solution using wood waste, agricultural residue and municipal waste. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
and is publicly traded in the U.S. under the ticker .
On August 17, 2010, BlueFire Ethanol Fuels rebranded itself as BlueFire Renewables.
Technology
BlueFire Ethanol employs what it calls a "concentrated acid hydrolysis" process of converting waste material to ethanol. The technology, developed by and licensed from Arkenol Fuels in Orange County, CaliforniaOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, reduces waste material to minuscule dimensions, where it is combined with sulfuric acid. This releases lignin
Lignin
Lignin or lignen is a complex chemical compound most commonly derived from wood, and an integral part of the secondary cell walls of plants and some algae. The term was introduced in 1819 by de Candolle and is derived from the Latin word lignum, meaning wood...
structures within the biomass, where the sugar and acid are separated. The sugar goes into a yeast-fermenting process that results in its conversion to ethanol.
Projects
In 2007, BlueFire Ethanol received US$40 million funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to construct a 19 million USgals (71,922.8 m³) per year cellulosic ethanolCellulosic ethanol
Cellulosic ethanol is a biofuel produced from wood, grasses, or the non-edible parts of plants.It is a type of biofuel produced from lignocellulose, a structural material that comprises much of the mass of plants. Lignocellulose is composed mainly of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin...
plant in Fulton, MS.
In 2008, the company unveiled plans to create a network of ethanol refineries located at landfills around the world. Under this plan, the landfill operators would receive US$6.00 per ton for the removal of their trash for processing into ethanol.
In 2009, Bluefire announced a teaming agreement with Solazyme
Solazyme
Solazyme Inc. is a publicly held United States alternative energy company specializing in the production of algal fuel for use in ground and air transportation. Solazyme uses proprietary technology to transform a range of low-cost plant-based sugars into high-value oils...
, a renewable oil production company and leading algal synthetic biology company, that sugars produced through BlueFire's patented process will be used by Solazyme to produce various oils for fuel production.