Harris Group Engineering Certified by Inbicon for Build-out of New Ethanol Technology

SKAERAEK, Denmark, Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Inbicon today announced its certification of Harris Group Inc. as meeting all quality, reliability, and professional standards necessary for engineering projects involving Inbicon Biomass Refineries. "Harris Group is one of the few North American firms that match our highest criteria in engineering expertise," says Christian Morgen, Inbicon marketing manager. Inbicon technology, now being commercialized in the United States and Canada, turns harvest leftovers such as corn stover and wheat straw into cellulosic ethanol and renewable electric power. 

"Three things set Inbicon apart for us," says Doug Dudgeon, Vice President of Process Industries for Harris Group. "First, it's a proven technology—proven at the $100 million biomass refinery in Kalundborg since 2010. Second, it's a holistic technology, turning everything taken off the farmer's field into more valuable forms of renewable energy. And third, Inbicon has strong backing because they're part of DONG Energy," one of Northern Europe's leading energy groups. "So we see Inbicon as ready to move this industry forward in North America."

Harris Group employs 300 people in 12 U.S. offices. "Because they provide multiple engineering disciplines—from process and mechanical to electrical, controls, structural and civil—Harris can handle every aspect of front-end and detail engineering," says Inbicon's Morgen. "They also have deep experience in the power industry and renewable energy, including nearly two decades in advanced biofuels. Harris Group's long history in engineering pulp and paper projects is especially relevant, since handling wood chips and agricultural residues present similar challenges."

In a typical Inbicon project, 1200 metric tons of biomass per day will be converted into 20 million gallons a year of The New Ethanol; 180,000 MT/year of clean lignin, used to produce green electricity; and 185,500 MT/year of C5 molasses for livestock feed or conversion to higher-value green chemistry products.

Given the corn stover and wheat straw currently available after the annual U.S. and Canadian grain harvests, Inbicon envisions a potential 500 renewable energy parks processing the biomass into 10 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol a year and generating as much as 20,000 MW of green power by 2022.

"Our primary role is helping Inbicon create successful renewable energy businesses," says Dudgeon. "By developing this cellulosic industry now, we'll also create significant jobs in the rural heartland."

SOURCE Inbicon