innovate arkansas

INEOS, the third largest chemical company in the world, recently acquired Fayetteville-based Bioengineering Resources, Inc (BRI). Research on this innovative biochemical process began in Fayetteville in 1989. A team of dedicated researchers took the technology from discovery through to integrated pilot plant scale over nearly two decades. Progressive stages of laboratory development finally culminated in the construction of a purpose built, integrated pilot plant just outside the Fayetteville, Arkansas. The pilot plant has been operating continuously on a range of waste materials since 2003. The group in Arkansas has now joined together with INEOS to form the new, stronger, multi-disciplinary INEOS Bio team, which has the skills and capabilities to commercialize quickly the technology.

Dr. James Gaddy, former UA faculty member and the founder of BRI built part of his biomass gasification/fermentation process for creating ethanol using UA technology he and Dr. Ed Clausen created at the University of Arkansas in the late 1980s.  The fermentation technology builds on U.S. patent 5,173,429 and uses an anerobic organism called Clostridium ljungdahlii. 

In a press release, Ineos said it has the technology to produce commercial qualities of bio ethanol fuel from landfill waste. INEOS' new technology will produce bioethanol in large quantities from municipal solid waste, organic commercial waste and agricultural residues amongst other things. INEOS Bio Ethanol releases up to 90% less net greenhouse gases than petrol (gasoline). One ton of dry waste can be converted into about 400 liters (100 gallons) of ethanol, which can either be blended with traditional fuels or replace them altogether, to substantially reduce vehicle emissions.

The technology - already proven at pilot plant scale - uses a simple three-stage process. The waste is first superheated to produce gases. Then, through a patented process, the gases are fed to naturally occurring bacteria, which efficiently produce ethanol. Finally, the ethanol is purified to make the fuel ready to be blended for use in cars.

(This article was originally published in the University of Arkansas' Daily Headlines.)