EdeniQ and Logos Sign Cooperative Agreement to Receive Up to $20.5M in DOE Integrated Bio-refinery Funding

EdeniQ, Inc. and Logos Technologies, Inc. have signed a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to receive up to $20.5 million in federal cost share under the DOE’s Integrated Bio-refinery Program to construct a Corn-to-Cellulose Migration (CCM) pilot plant.

The release of $2.8 million in federal cost share for DOE “Budget Period 1” reflects that EdeniQ and Logos have satisfied all of the conditions associated with the cooperative agreement awarded by the DOE in December of 2009. The DOE is expected to release the remaining $17.7 million in federal cost share as part of its “Budget Period 2” in the third quarter of 2010.

The funds will be used to expand and upgrade EdeniQ’s current cellulosic test plant in Visalia, Calif. to a CCM pilot plant processing 2-tons of cellulosic biomass per day. The CCM pilot plant will employ a portfolio of biological, chemical and mechanical technologies designed to allow first-generation bio-refiners to cost-effectively add cellulosic production to their current operations.

Our Corn-to-Cellulose Migration technologies will allow today’s corn ethanol producers to add corn stover (leftover stalks, cobs and leaves) and switchgrass (a native, perennial prairie grass used as an energy crop) to their current operations far faster, and for far less money, than building ‘green field’ cellulosic plants from the ground up. We’re taking the same approach in Brazil with a solution that will allow today’s sugarcane ethanol producers to make biofuels from bagasse.

—EdeniQ CEO Larry Gross

EdeniQ recently closed a $12.4 million Series B round of financing. (Earlier post.)