BIOREFINERY IN KENTUCKY INCLUDES ALGAE

Alltech’s plans include growing algae for biofuel. Algae produce a biocrude with all the flexibility and ease of transport that petroleum crude has and a thousand or more times the land-use and water-use efficiency of any other biofuel.

Alltech to build biorefinery in Springfield
Karla Ward, October 25, 2007 (Kentucky Herald-Leader)

WHO
Alltech Biotechnology (Pearse Lyons, president/founder); Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher)

Schematic: The fascinatingly multidimensional possibilities of a biorefinery. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Alltech will build and operate a community biorefinery for the processing of biomass into biofuels.

WHEN
- The biorefinery will break ground in February 2008 and begin operations 14 months later.
- This will be the 1st switchgrass/biomass refinery in the US and the 1st of Alltech’s planned 5-6 biorefineries.

WHERE
- Alltech headquarters is on Catnip Hill Pike in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
- The 1st Alltech biorefinery, chosen from among 5 potential sites, will be in Springfield, Kentucky, where Alltech already has a plant.

WHY
- The biorefinery is expected to cost $40 million and provide 93 jobs.
- It will process cellulose (switch grass, corncobs, stalks, leaves, etc.) into biofuels like ethanol and other refined products.
- The plant will get an $8 million Incentives for Energy Independence Act package from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority including a sales tax refund, a state income tax wage reduction and a credit against state income taxes.
- Alltech intends to use plant lands for beef and dairy cattle and commercial fish farming. The animal waste will be processed at the biorefinery into biofuels.
- Finally, Alltech will develop algae for biofuels with an estimated annual 5,000 gallons/acre output. The algae will be used to filter carbon dioxide emissions.

Schematic: a bioreactor for the processing of algae into biofuels. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Lyons, Alltech: "We are not Silicon Valley…We have to focus on our agriculture bases…The first is not the last…We see this as just one of many…Imagine Kentucky becoming not just the horse capital of the world but the algae capital of the world…"
- Gov. Fletcher: "It's exactly what we wanted to happen as we developed our energy initiative three years ago…"
- Kentucky Judge-Executive John Settles: "I don't see how we can lose…"