Company
About Enzymes
About Fuels and Vehicles
About Ethanol
Environment
Company
Is Iogen a
publicly traded company?
Iogen is a privately run, Canadian business. It is
not publicly traded on any stock exchange.
Does Iogen
partner with other firms on research projects?
As the company continues to build a global reputation
for excellence, we receive many invitations to collaborate
on research projects; however, very few match our research
and development requirements. We continue to work
with our existing partners on plans for commercialization.
What is the capacity of Iogen's demonstration plant?
At full capacity Iogen’s demonstration plant is designed to process about 20-30 tonnes per day of feedstock, and to produce approximately 5,000 – 6,000 litres of cellulosic ethanol per day. The plant uses wheat, oat and barley straw as raw materials.
What is the scale of a commercial facility?
The US Department of Energy defines a commercial scale biorefinery as having input of 700 tons of non-food based feedstock per day, with an output of approximately 20-30 million gallons (or 75 – 113 million litres) per year.
Does cellulosic
ethanol require a subsidy to be competitive?
Governments worldwide have policy initiatives to reduce
gasoline consumption. Vehicle efficiency targets and
gasoline taxes are among the many policy tools used
to decrease gasoline usage. Without the distortions
of the tax system, cellulosic ethanol is one of the lowest
cost ways to reduce gasoline usage. If governments are
committed to reducing gasoline usage, consumer costs
will be the lowest if clean fuel solutions like cellulosic
ethanol do not face distortive and punitive gasoline
taxes.
How much does
it cost to make cellulosic ethanol?
Currently production is done in demonstration quantities,
therefore the price per litre is higher than it will
be in a commercial facility. Cellulosic ethanol will
be competitive with grain-based ethanol from a cost
perspective. As more cellulosic ethanol plants are constructed,
the cost of cellulosic ethanol will come down and is
expected to be competitive with the price of rack (pre
tax) gasoline.
Is there enough
agricultural residue in Canada to support a commercial
cellulosic ethanol industry?
There are substantial quantities of straw and other
crop residues already produced in Canada. In the Western
provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta alone,
annual production of straw is about 40 million tonnes.
If 1/3 of this material was used to make fuel, the nation
could replace 10% of its gasoline usage.
Would Iogen
consider building a commercial cellulosic ethanol plant
in my area?
Iogen conducted an indepth study of North America and
Europe high-yield areas for agriculture residue. A
short list from that study was created and the company
continue research dealing with many other factors related
to the business case for site selection, including:
- Infrastructure, engineering and construction
- Government and public policy
- Community interest and support
From that study, Iogen and its partners have focused
on North Central Saskatchewan, East Central Alberta
and South East Idaho.
What feedstocks
can be used with Iogen’s cellulosic ethanol technology?
While Iogen’s demonstration plant uses wheat straw,
other potential feedstocks have been researched:
- Corn stover
- Switch grass
- Miscanthus (elephant grass)
- Oat/barley straw
- Sugar can bagasse
- Hard wood chips (though collection in such large
quantities is labour intensive and cost prohibitive)
(Note: soft wood is not compatible with Iogen’s
technology)
To be used with Iogen's cellulosic ethanol process, a feedstock must have at least 60% carbohydrate content, and to remain cost effective, must be available in large quantities.
About Enzymes
What are
enzymes?
Enzymes are "active" proteins that can increase
(catalyze) the rate of biochemical reactions. Enzymes
are natural chemicals made by and used by living organisms
but are themselves "non-living". They are
safe and natural, and are widely used in the food industry.
Are
enzymes harmful to the environment?
The enzymes that Iogen produces are non-toxic and biodegradable.
Handling and spill containment instructions are available
from Iogen.
Which pulp and paper mills use
Iogen xylanase products?
Iogen serves pulp mills across North America, and annually
treats more than 2 million tonnes of pulp. If you would
like detailed information about Iogen's success in the
pulp and paper industry, please contact Theo Van der
Burgt, Sales Director, at theo.vanderburgt@iogen.ca.
How can I
purchase Iogen enzymes for the pulp & paper/textiles
markets?
Please contact theo.vanderburgt@iogen.ca and provide information on your
business such as demographics, sector and product portfolio.
Are your
enzymes genetically modified?
“Genetically modified organisms” is a term
used to describe many different biotechnologies, some
of which are controversial. The enzymes Iogen manufactures
are all natural enzymes, made by the fungus, Trichoderma
reesei. This production organism is classified
as Risk Group 0, and therefore offers no risk to human
health. Iogen’s process will have no impact on
the ecosystem or the food chain.
Is it possible
to purchase Iogen’s cellulosic ethanol enzymes or
technology licenses?
Currently, Iogen’s cellulosic ethanol process is
a pre-commercial business. Working with our partners,
we are investigating three potential sites for a commercial
prototype plant which Iogen will own and operate with
its partners. In the long-term, we will commercialize
the cellulosic ethanol process by licensing the technology
broadly through turnkey plant construction partnerships.
License fees and the supply of enzymes to the licensees’
plants will generate income. Licensing is not available
currently.
About Fuels and Vehicles
What do the
terms E-10 and E-85 mean?
E-10 refers to fuel that contains 10% ethanol and 90%
gasoline. E-85 refers to fuel that contains 85% ethanol
and 15% gasoline.
Can my car
run on ethanol now?
You can safely use gasoline in your vehicle that contains
up to 10% ethanol and all car manufacturers in North
America warrantee the use of E-10 gasoline. The ethanol-blended
gasoline that is commonly sold throughout Canada and
the United States contains 6% to 10% ethanol. In order
to use fuel that has an ethanol content of more than
10%, a flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV) is required.
I have heard
that ethanol damages your car engine. Is this true?
There are many myths surrounding the use of ethanol-blended
fuels and the effect that they have on vehicle engines.
In fact, you may find that your vehicle runs better
on an ethanol-blended fuel as it will remove deposits
and clean out the fuel lines in your vehicle. For detailed
information about the use of ethanol blended fuels,
contact the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association at
www.greenfuels.org
and refer to their ethanol questions and answers section.
Can I convert
my car to run on E-85 fuel?
It is too impractical and costly to do after-factory
conversions of gasoline fueled vehicles to E-85 vehicles.
Since the combustion of ethanol and gasoline is different,
different engine electronic systems are required, and
need to be installed at the time of manufacture.
What are
flexible-fuel vehicles?
All Big Three car companies manufacture flexible-fuel
vehicles (FFVs). These are vehicles that can run on
either regular gasoline or E-85 fuel. There is one fuel
tank on a FFV, and the driver can fill-it-up as they
would with a regular vehicle.
There is only one major additional part that is included
on an FFV - the fuel sensor that detects the ethanol/gasoline
ratio. A number of other parts on the FFV's fuel delivery
system are modified so that they are ethanol compatible.
The fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel injectors, computer
system, anti-siphon device & dashboard gauges have
been modified slightly. Alcohols are corrosive, therefore,
any part that comes in contact with the fuel has been
upgraded to be tolerant to alcohol. Normally, these
parts include a stainless steel fuel tank & Teflon-lined
fuel hoses.
For more information on FFVs, please visit http://www.e85fuel.com
Will ethanol
become an obsolete fuel with the introduction of large-scale
fuel cells?
Energy is required to produce the hydrogen in the fuel
cell and it has been determined that ethanol is a good
processing fuel for onboard production of hydrogen.
Where can I buy E-85 fuel now?
In the US, there are several hundred E85 pumps across the country. In Ontario, there are currently E85 stations in Woodstock, Chatham, Guelph and Ottawa.
Does
ethanol use more energy than it produces?
Cornell University entomologist, David Pimentel, has
published studies stating the net energy balance of
ethanol to be negative. The majority of scientists that
have studied this, have found the energy balance to
be positive. Here are the facts:
Ethanol Contains Twice the Energy
Required To Produce It
"In terms of an energy balance, or on a "comprehensive
life cycle basis," ethanol contains about twice
the amount of energy required to produce it. This includes
the energy used to produce the various inputs of production
such as fertilizer and pesticides, the fuel costs associated
with grain production, and the cost of transporting
grain from the farm to the ethanol plant, and from the
ethanol plant to the retailer."
- Agriculture Canada
Corn Ethanol Reduces Fossil Fuel
Use, Petroleum Use and GHGs
"Since fuel ethanol was first used in the United
States in the early 1980s, there have been debates about
whether corn-based ethanol provides energy and emission
benefits.
Some critics of corn ethanol argue that it has a negative
energy balance (the energy in ethanol itself minus fossil
energy used for corn farming and ethanol production).
Beginning in 1996, Argonne began to address the energy
and emission effects of ethanol produced from corn and
from cellulosic biomass.
In 1997, Argonne completed a study for the State of
Illinois evaluating the fuel-cycle energy and greenhouse
gas effects of corn ethanol. The study concluded that
corn ethanol did indeed reduce fossil energy use, petroleum
use, and greenhouse gas emissions. The reason? Simple,
really - in the last 30 years, corn yield per unit of
chemical inputs has gone up significantly. At the same
time, energy use by ethanol production plants has gone
down significantly."
- Michael Wang
Center for Transportation Research
Argonne National Laboratory
Unites States Department of Energy
July 17, 2005
About Ethanol
What is ethanol?
Ethanol is a clean, high-octane, high-performance fuel
for your vehicle. Up to a ten-percent blend of ethanol
is covered under warranty by every auto manufacturer
that sells vehicles in the U.S. for every make
and every model of vehicle. Conventional ethanol
is made from renewable resources like corn and wheat.
Fuel grade ethanol is about 99% pure alcohol and has
a number of important properties to it that make it
an excellent fuel additive for your car. Ethanol is
a clean burning fuel that contains a high percentage
(35%) of oxygen that encourages a more complete combustion
of your car's fuel thereby reducing harmful emissions.
More importantly, ethanol is renewable.
Environment
What is climate
change?
Climate change refers to the temperature shifts and
the change in the earth's weather patterns that are
believed to be caused by an increase in greenhouse gas
emissions. Scientists report that the global temperature
record shows an average warming of about 1°F over the
past century. This warming has been recorded in both
the northern and southern hemispheres, and over the
oceans, with some areas much warmer and others actually
cooler. The effects of climate change at its worst could
mean that the polar ice caps would melt, continents
not under water now could be flooded, or land that is
now arable could become a vast desert. Carbon dioxide
is one of the primary "greenhouse gasses".
The burning of fossil fuels is one of the major sources
of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. |
