LanzaTech’s ethanol demo plant under construction

Baosteel Group Corp. and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have joined together in a joint venture to construct a fuel ethanol demo plant using LanzaTech’s gas fermentation technology using steel mill off-gases. Baosteel is China’s largest steel and iron conglomerate. A new joint venture company, Shanghai Baosteel LanzaTech New Energy Company Ltd., has been set up to be responsible to deliver a 100,000 gallon per year demonstration unit and a number of commercial (50 million gallon per year) production facilities. A new research and development center is also being planned through the joint venture, to further the advancement of this new gas fermentation technology. Bai Chunli, President of CAS, said, “The future CAS, Baosteel and LanzaTech Research and Development Center will not only provide technology support for the demo and commercial facilities but also enable collaboration to develop new technology in bioenergy.” He Wenbo, president of Baosteel, said in regard to LanzaTech’s new technology that, “What we start today will have huge potential in the Chinese market as it will positively impact the steel mill’s recycling operations, and China’s new energy development.” (March 27, 2011)