Comet Biorefining to build commercial biomass sugar plant in Sarnia

Feb. 22, 2016 – Sarnia, Ont., has been selected as the location of Comet Biorefining’s first commercial-scale facility that will produce sugars using biomass.

The plant, expected to produce 60 million pounds per year, will come online in 2018 producing dextrose sugar from locally sourced corn stover and wheat straw. Corn stover consists of residues left in the field after harvest including stalks,leaves, husks and cobs.

“Construction of this first-of-a-kind plant represents a key step towards the large-scale commercialization of our cellulosic sugar business. It highlights the important role our technology plays in the value chain, helping to drive the bio economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says Andrew Richard, CEO of Comet.

Using its patented process, Comet converts non-food agricultural and forest residues into high-purity dextrose sugars that will be transformed into bio-based products including organic acids, amino acids and bioplastics, explains company representatives. “These low-carbon bio-based products replace traditional petroleum-based materials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help contribute to Canada’s efforts on climate change,” they note.

Comet says it chose to locate in Sarnia by working together with Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC), the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and an Ontario farmers’ cooperative on a project to attract sustainable technology providers to the region and to meet increasing demand from chemical suppliers and consumers for low-carbon products.