By Renewable Energy Focus staff

The plant currently has an annual production capacity of 5 million litres using wheat and maize straw as its raw materials.

Abengoa also plans to ferment sugars with five carbon atoms (C5) as a next stage in the evolution of the lignocellulosic bioethanol production process.

The company adds that it has established a specific research line, the Enzyme Development Technological Program, to develop more effective and optimized enzymes to reduce consumption during the process.

The enzymatic hydrolysis technology is expected to be put into practice at Abengoa’s planned commercial-scale lignocellulosic bioethanol plant in Hugoton, Kansas, USA, which will have an annual capacity of 100 litres.