Demonstration Plant

Iowa Power Fund Project - 2.5 TPD Demonstration Plant

Avello® Bioenergy has executed a contract with the Iowa Power Fund for a $2.5 MM grant to design, build and operate a Demonstration Plant at the ISU BioCentury Research Farm in Boone, IA. The U.S. Department of Energy has also awarded Avello a $2.5 MM grant in support of the project. The 3-year project will design, build and operate a Demonstration Plant to generate product and test these products in commercial market applications. A strong coalition of industrial and academic partners are providing $2.8 MM of in-kind contributions for engineering support and use of equipment or facilities and market testing of Avello products. Avello Bioenergy is in the process of raising the capital match required  to initiate this project.

Continental Technologies and Emerson Process Management will assist Avello in engineering, construction and start-up of the plant. Vermeer will assist with development of biomass handling equipment and feedstock procurement and processing. The Demonstration Plant will be operated to produce petroleum replacement products for pre-commercial testing. Bioasphalt® binder will be used in paving demonstrations coordinated with government agencies and the Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa (APAI), and a leading building materials manufacturer will evaluate roofing shingle applications. Cargill plans to test Biofuel Oil™ for clean power generation at one of their facilities. Borregaard LignoTech will evaluate Avello pyrolysis oil fractions for use in renewable chemicals and specialty applications. Virent will investigate production of hydrogen and advanced biofuels from Avello pyrolysis oil fractions. Biochar will be tested as a soil improvement and carbon sequestration agent by USDA ARS through a Collaborative Research Agreement. Iowa State University researchers will be involved with corn stover harvest, storage and transportation; and testing of Bioasphalt binder, Biofuel Oil, and Biochar. Iowa Farm Bureau will assist in education and outreach by reaching out to all stakeholders in the biomass fast pyrolysis value chain.