Enerkem's thermochemical process can turn just about any biomass into ethanol, including old wood and garbage. In the race for successful commercial production of second-gen-ethanol, Enerkem has chosen a radically different approach than most competitors. Its "carbon recycling technology" is based on a thermochemical process that has nothing to do with finding the best enzymes to break down cellulose and produce ethanol from specific feedstocks such as wheat straw or wood chips. Instead, Enerkem uses gasification to turn carbon-rich feedstocks into synthetic gas, or syngas, which is then converted to ethanol using a catalyst.
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