Biomethanol From Sugar Beet Pulp

According to Atlantic Biomass Conversions, sugar beet pulp, currently of low value to sugar beet growers and processors, could become a significant source of renewable fuel methanol. Nearly 700 million liters of fuel cell quality methanol could be produced annually from sugar beet pulp produced by existing EU and US sugar beet refineries.

Atlantic Biomass Conversions, a company based in Frederick, MD in the US, in conjunction with scientists at the University of Maryland, Hood College, and the USDA Agriculture Research Service, is developing a genetically enhanced bacterial process to directly convert sugar beet pulp wastes to biomethanol This process would be integrated into existing sugar beet processing plants and does not require a gaseous conversion step.